Dorothy McDowell

East Lyme— Dorothy Briggs McDowell, 99, passed away on Monday, July 20, 2015, two months shy of her 100 birthday, surrounded by her loving family at Bride Brook Health and Rehabilitation Center, Niantic.

Shewas born Sept. 12, 1915, in Ogdensburg, N.Y., the second eldest child of Robert Alton and Eva (LeLonde) Williams.

Shewas predeceased by her first husband of 38 years, Myron Lynn Briggs, and her second husband of 23 years, James McDowell.

She is survived by her daughters, Sue Putnam and her husband, Carl, with whom Dorothy had made her home for the last 10 years, and Patricia Hall; 11 grandchildren, Deb Fountain, David Putnam, Andrew Putnam, Jill Dowds, Stephen Hall, Kathy McIntyre, Karen Nicholson, Mark Hall, Barbara McGaritty and Beth Duda; 16 great-great-grandchildren; and a stepson, William McDowell and his wife, Ann, and their children.

Shewas predeceased by her daughter, Janet Briggs Duda and a grandson, James Hall.

Dorothywas an avid and skilled card player who loved to crochet, knit and found joy in sewing clothes for her grandchildren.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at Thomas L. Neilan & Sons East Lyme Funeral Home, 48 Grand St., Niantic. Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at the Niantic Community Church, 170 Pennsylvania Ave., Niantic. Interment will be private in New York.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Gemma Moran Food Bank, 374 Broad St., NewLondon, CT 06320.

www.neilanfuneralhome. com