Shelley McDowell

SHELLEY R. MCDOWELL

Cedar Rapids

Shelley Renee McDowell, 54, passed away peacefully Jan. 29, 2017, after a long battle with kidney disease. Through the years, she did not let life get her down. She stayed upbeat, positive, and loved to do things with her family and friends. She was born March 28, 1962, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Gordon and Virginia Ruth McDowell.

Shelley grew up in Mechanicsville and graduated from Lincoln High School in Stanwood in 1980. Shelley worked at DAEC for 24 years, where she enjoyed working with people she cared about. She loved her family and friends and would do anything to help them. She especially loved doing things with and for her great-nephew, Dallas; he was a great joy for her. She enjoyed sailing. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Shelley is survived by her best friend, Rick Connelly; sister, Linda Kepler (Bill Newlen); brothers, Craig McDowell (Shelley) and Gordon McDowell (Belia); nephews and nieces, Eirik Kepler, Nikki Carmer (Mike), Travis Kepler, Aaron (Casey), Brian (Katiane) and Jason McDowell, Cole (Emily) Harland and Stephanie McDowell (Robbie); great-nieces, Kourtney Kepler, Violet Harland and Cortlyn Aselton; and great-nephew, Dallas Carmer.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother-in-law, James Kepler; and longtime friend, Steve Eylers.

A funeral service celebrating Shelley's life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 3, at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories Stateroom.

Memorial donations may be given in her name to the National Kidney Foundation, www.kidney.org.

Online condolences may be left at www.cedarmemorial.com under "obituaries."