John Dowell Jr.

John R. Dowell PORTSMOUTH - John Raymond Dowell Jr., 77, of the 100 block of Hanbury Ave., passed away Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010 in a local hospital. Born July 15, 1933 in Winston-Salem, N.C., he was the son of the late John R. and Eva Pearl Dowell Sr., and was the owner of Westgate Barber Shop on Airline Boulevard in Portsmouth for 30 years and a barber by trade for more than 50 years. John was a proud Army veteran with the 101st Airborne Division, and a member of Lake Drummond Masonic Lodge No. 178. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Donald Keith Dowell Sr.; and a grandson, Donald Keith Dowell Jr. He is survived by his loving wife, Peggy D. Dowell; two daughters, Ann Turner and husband Bobby and Debbie Salanga and husband Tony; a son, Charles Taylor Jr.; three sisters, Betty Reshel, Peggy Patterson and Shirley Dowell; a brother, Bobby Dowell; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and special friends, Sonny Painter and Ray McNamara. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 27, in Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd. Chapel, by the Rev. Gene Primm. Entombment will follow in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. Masonic rites will be held at the funeral home on Sunday at 2 p.m. and the family will receive friends immediately following until 4 p.m. www.SturtevantFuneralHome.com.