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Richard McDowell Obituary
He was born July 4, 1924, in Muncie, to the late Oscar and Opal Fields McDowell.
He graduated from Purdue University with a BS in Engineering 1949, BS in Mechanical Engineering 1955 and MS in Industrial Engineering 1958.
On Sept. 6, 1947 he married Mary Simpson McDowell in Salem, and she survives.
Richard was Professor of Engineering and Associate Head of Freshman Engineering at Purdue University and retired in 1991 as a Professor Emeritus of Engineering after a 39-year career at Purdue. During those years he advised several thousand freshman engineering students.
In 1985 he received a Special Boilermaker Award from the Purdue Alumni Association, in 1987 the Hovde Faculty Fellow Award, and in 1991 the Sagamore of the Wabash Award. He served as Chairman of the Purdue Retirees Organization in 1992. He was a member of Federated Church of West Lafayette.
Surviving along with his wife are two daughters; Sarah (Roy) Johnson, West Lafayette and Rebecca (Philip) Marshall, Salem, and two grandchildren, Marah Marshall, Chicago and Nathanael Marshall, Cleveland, Ohio.
Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. April 5, 2009 at Soller-Baker West Lafayette Chapel, 1184 Sagamore Parkway West Lafayette. Funeral services are 11 a.m. Monday, April 6 at Federated Church, West Lafayette with Rev. David Mills officiating. Burial will be at Crown Hill Cemetery, Salem at 2 p.m. Wednesday. He was preceded in death by a brother and a sister. Those wishing may contribute to the Purdue Foundation for the Richard W. McDowell Best Counselor Award in the College of Engineering. Leave condolences at www.soller-baker.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Richard McDowell
1 Entry
Janelle Herrington
September 6, 2023
Just reminiscing about my wonderful years at Purdue, and was thinking about Professor McDowell as our Faculty Fellow on the 6th floor of Harrison Hall. What a wonderful and welcoming pair he and his wife were to 50 girls each year. Fond memories. Blessings to his family.
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