B. Walter Dowdy

B. Walter Dowdy, 74, of Newport, Va., departed this life on Wednesday, December 16, 2009, at Montgomery Regional Hospital in Blacksburg. Born in Giles County on June 3, 1935, he was a son of the late Bert and Elizabeth Williams Dowdy. He had been employed as a carpenter on construction and at VPI in Food Service. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Mary Atkins; and three brothers, Alvin Dowdy, Bert Dowdy Jr. and Bill Dowdy. He leaves to cherish his memory his beloved wife of 50 years, Louise Cumbee Dowdy; a son and daughterin-law, Walter Wayne and Patty Dowdy, of Newport; three daughters and sonsin-law, Frankie and Kenneth Kirk, of Staffordsville, Sarah and Mike Martin, of Pembroke, Kathy and Timmy Meredith, of Pembroke; his seven grandchildren; his four great-grandchildren; his four stepgrandchildren; his three stepgreat-grandchildren; his brothers, Claude Dowdy, of Newport, and Marcus Dowdy, of Salem; his sister, Hazel Dowdy, of Staunton. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Kendall Funeral Home, 605 Snidow St. in Pembroke with Pastor Gary Poff and Pastor Eddie Kendall officiating. Burial will follow in Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting kendallfuneralhome.com.