William Wallace McDowell

William Wallace McDowell, 95 of Heather Glen at Ardenwoods, Arden, North Carolina died June 24, 2007 at Memorial Campus Mission Hospitals. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday at the Groce Funeral Home chapel, 1401 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC, with the Rev. James W. White officiating. Burial will follow at the Bethesda Methodist Church Cemetery in Haw Creek, Asheville. The McDowell family will receive friends from 1-2:00 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home prior to the funeral service. Mr. McDowell was born November 15, 1911 to the late William Wallace McDowell and Emma Lou Mallonee McDowell. He was the great-great-grandson of the original owners of what is now the Smith-McDowell House Museum. Mr. McDowell retired from American Enka Corporation in 1976 after 46 years of service. He worked in the Asheville and Morristown, TN plants as Foreman of the Glass Blowing, Spinneret, and Pump Repair Shops. His lifelong hobby was flying airplanes. In the late 1950s, he was active in the Civil Air Patrol holding positions at the state level and was the Squadron Commander in Morristown, TN. In addition to his parents, Mr. McDowell was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Carrie Lee Miller McDowell. Three daughters survive him: Judy Schurig and husband, Ralph of Concord, NC; Barbara Johnson and husband, Joe of Brevard, NC; and Betty Brooks and husband, Mike of Hot Springs, AR. He has six grandchildren: Don Johnson and wife, Donna of Stanley, NC; Bill Johnson and wife, Rachel of Concord, NC; Mark Schurig and wife, Audrey of Rock Hill, SC; Todd Schurig and wife, Nancy of Mansfield, OH; Beth Schwartz and husband, Richard of Murphy, TX; and Stefanie Fast and husband, Travis of Oklahoma City, OK; 13 great grandchildren; one niece and five nephews. A sister-in-law, Roberta Miller Duffield, also survives Mr. McDowell. The family would like to extend a special thanks to the loving and caring staff of Heather Glenn at Ardenwoods Retirement Center and to the staff of the 5th floor of the Owen Heart Center and the Cardio Vascular Intensive Care Unit at Memorial Campus Mission Hospitals. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Smith-McDowell House Museum, 283 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 28801.