Delores McDowell

Delores Rosella Whalen Meighan McDowell, 92, of Cedar Rapids passed away Sunday, July 27, 2014 at the Solon Care Center. Funeral services were held Thursday, July 31 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Burial followed at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Delores was born August 30, 1921 on the rural Lansing farm of her parents, William Thomas and Agnes M. (Danaher) Whalen. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary's Lycurgus Catholic Church. Delores attended the Lycurgus Rock School and graduated from Waukon High School.
During World War II, she worked in a Waterloo factory to support the war effort. In 1945, Delores was united in marriage to Robert G. Meighan. The couple was blessed with a daughter, Joan Ann. Robert passed away in 1956. Delores lived in Cedar Rapids the remainder of her life. She worked at Iowa Steel and Penick and Ford.
Delores married William Vernon McDowell February 14, 1969. Bill and Delores loved dancing and spending time with friends and family. Delores was a faithful member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. She was an avid bowler on her championship team, "The Granny Gutter Dusters." Delores spent many years caring for her grandchildren and family. She always had a clean house where cookies, stories and prayers were freely offered. She enjoyed dining out with friends and family.
Survivors include her daughter, Joan (Richard) Running of Cedar Rapids; her grandchildren, Elizabeth Running (Mark Hey), Stefanie Running, Kirsten Running (Coy Marquardt) and Chad (Amy) Running; her great-grandchildren, Matthew, Grace, Liam and Jack; a brother, Jim (Bess) Whalen of Augusta, WI; her sisters-in-law, Bernie Whalen of Waukon and Lee Whalen of Elkader; a step-brother-in-law, Mark Mauss of Waukon; a step-sister-in-law, Mary Ellen Zoll of Cedar Rapids; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Delores was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert G. Meighan; her husband, William Vernon McDowell; her sisters, Anna Mae (Bob) Curtin, Julia Whalen and Dorothy Davis; her brothers, Emmett, Donald, Dan (Jeri) and Patrick Whalen; her stepmother, Hazel Whalen; and Hazel's children and spouses, James, Vivian Zoll, Walter Larson, Mary Mauss and Myrt Larson.
Online condolences may be left at www.cedar memorial.com under "Obituaries."