Dowd, Evelyn Bartz

Evelyn Bartz Dowd, 92, went to her heavenly home on Saturday, March 17, 2012, from Hillcrest Home in Sumner, Iowa, a small town near Fredericksburg and New Hampton and two of her sons, Don and Dave. Before this, she lived in the Cedar Rapids area for many years, near her daughter, DeeAnn Anderman.

Evelyn Lucille Bartz was born April 4, 1919, to Charles Bartz and Laura (Ross) Bartz, in Chickasaw County, on her family's farm near Ionia, Iowa. She was married to Gaylord H. Dowd on June 29, 1946, at Nashua, Iowa, a union that lasted until his death in 1967. Growing up with her eight siblings on their folks' farm, Evelyn became a great cook and was known for her homemade bread, sweet yeast rolls and rhubarb crisp.

A lifelong learner, Evelyn earned her teaching certificate from the State of Iowa in 1945, and taught grades one through eight in several one-room, country schools in the New Hampton area. She cherished memories of her days in the classroom and the experiences shared with her students and their families.

After leaving the classroom to raise her own family, Evelyn provided day care in her home. In the early 1970s, Evelyn chose nursing as a new career and earned certification as an LPN. She worked at hospitals in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids until hospital duty became too strenuous. She then became a caregiver in private homes of elderly patients, and lovingly provided these services well into her 80s.

Evelyn attended Eastview Christian Church in Cedar Rapids, until her declining health prevented it. She enjoyed sharing the activities with her “senior” friends at Eastview. She also maintained a number of lifelong friendships, and relished time spent with her good friends at “The Meadows” apartment center and later at Evergreen Estates 1 Assisted Care Facility in Cedar Rapids.

Throughout her life, Evelyn made friends easily and delighted in conversation with anyone who was fortunate enough to meet her ... whether in her daily activities or when traveling by Greyhound to visit family in Florida, Illinois, Minnesota or Missouri. Life seemed an adventure, and she loved to learn from those with whom she shared a tiny piece of it.

Visitation will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 23, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home, 520 Wilson Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids. Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Graveside service: 3 p.m. Saturday, New Hampton Graceland Cemetery, New Hampton, Iowa, where she will be laid to rest beside her husband, Gaylord H. Dowd.

Evelyn is survived by her four children, Gaylord G. Dowd (June), Tallahassee, Fla., DeeAnn Anderman, Cedar Rapids, Don Dowd (Lois), Fredericksburg, and Dave Dowd (Audrey) New Hampton; siblings, Grace Bausman of Parkersburg, Mabel Norton of Spring Park, Minn., Jean Larson (Galen) of Huntley, Ill., and Ed Bartz of Rochester, Minn.; grandchildren, DeeAnn Anderman's sons, Brad, Bill and Bradley of Cedar Rapids, Don's children, Dana Dowd of New Hampton, Derrick Dowd of Waterloo, Sharon Arentz (Joe) of La Crosse, Wis., and Christine Dowd of Cedar Rapids, and David's son, David John of New Hampton; and great-grandchildren, Brad Anderman's children, Camron, Kaitlyn, Aleaha and Hailie of Cedar Rapids, Bill Anderman's children, Holly and Robert of Cedar Rapids, Sharon Arentz's children, Lydia, Cole, Calvin and Cullen of La Crosse, Wis., and David John's children, Owen and Taylor of New Hampton.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gaylord H. Dowd; siblings, Lenora Bartz Butts, Walter Bartz, George Bartz and Theodore (Ted) Bartz; and a granddaughter, Crystal Dowd (Gaylord's daughter) of Florida.

Please sign the online guest book for Evelyn at under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette March 21, 2012.