Delores McDowell

ROSELLA MCDOWELL Solon Delores Rosella Whalen Meighan McDowell, 92, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Sunday, July 27, 2014, at the Solon Care Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 31, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Burial will follow at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 30, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, with a 6:30 p.m. Sripture service. Delores was born Aug. 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 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 on Feb. 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; grandchildren, Elizabeth Running (Mark Hey), Stefanie Running, Kirsten Running (Coy Marquardt) and Chad (Amy) Running; great-grandchildren, Matthew, Grace, Liam and Jack; brother, Jim (Bess) Whalen of Augusta, Wis.; sisters-in-law, Bernie Whalen of Waukon and Lee Whalen of Elkader; step-brother-in-law, Mark Mauss of Waukon; stepsister-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; sisters, Anna Mae (Bob) Curtin, Julia Whalen and Dorothy Davis; brothers, Emmett, Donald, Dan (Jeri) and Patrick Whalen; stepmother, Hazel Whalen; and Hazel's children and spouses, James, Vivian Zoll, Walter Larson, Mary Mauss and Myrt Larson. The family would like to thank Solon Care Center for their care of Delores. Online condolences may be left at www.cedar memorial.com under "Obituaries."