Michael A. Dowd

KEENE, N.H. — Michael A. Dowd, 41, of Kenworth Avenue, Keene, died Monday, Jan. 18, 2010 in Leominster, following an automobile accident.

He was born in Newport, R.I., July 5, 1968, the son of John E. and Marion (Hayes) Dowd Jr., and had resided in Southfield, Mich. and Salem, prior to moving to Keene in 1993.

He graduated from the Wylie E. Groves High School, Class of 1986. While in high school he was active in varsity soccer and football. He was also very active with the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corp program in Southfield, Mich.

Mr. Dowd went on to further his education at Keene State College where he earned his Bachelor in Psychology and Master in Educational Counseling degrees.

He was employed by DCYF as a child protective services agent for seven years and more recently changed careers and was in management with the Olive Garden Restaurants, most recently working in the Leominster facility.

Mr. Dowd was a member of the Cheshiremen Chorus in Keene and loved to play cribbage with his father. He enjoyed video games, family game nights, family movie nights, and camping, but most importantly of all, he loved being with his kids and wife.

Survivors include his parents of Salem; his wife of 17 years, Kim (Ollenborger) Dowd; his children, Evan Michael Dowd and Paige Rebecca Dowd, all of Keene; his brothers, John E. Dowd III and his wife Elizabeth of Duluth, Ga., and Thomas Dowd of Hawley, Pa.; his sisters, Susan Cairns and her husband Bob of Cary, N.C., Amy Ruppert and her husband Stephen of Laceyville, Pa., and Jennifer Dowd of Salem. Survivors also include his mother-in-law, Diane Roia-McKenney of Billerica; his father-in-law, Paul Ollenborger and his wife Elaine Ganong of Leominster; two sisters-in-law, Linda DuLong and her husband Robert of Tewksbury, Lisa Ollenborger of Derry, N.H.; a brother-in-law, Christian Ollenborger and his wife Wendy of Fitchburg, along with aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

ARRANGEMENTS: A liturgy of the word will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Bernard's Church in Keene. Friends are invited. Calling hours will be held at the Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 33 Marlboro St., Keene, Sunday, from 3 to 6 p.m. Burial will take place at the family lot in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Keene. Locally, a Mass will be celebrated in memory of Mr. Dowd at St. Thomas the Apostle Chuch in Peabody on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010 at 11 a.m. It has been requested that gifts be made in memory of Michael Dowd, to The Dowd Children Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 744, Keene, NH 03431.