Barbara McDowell

Barbara Dickinson McDowell, 91, of Shelburne passed away on Monday January 5th, after a short illness.

She was born on March 9th, 1934, in Champlain, NY the daughter of Howard and Winifred Prouty Dickinson. She graduated from Brandon High School (VT) in 1952 and VT Junior College in 1954 with an associate's degree in liberal arts. She married Richard Parmelee (Pete) McDowell on April 23rd, 1955, with whom she raised five children. In 1978 she began working full-time at Burlington High School, as an administrative assistant, a job she loved for 22 years, while making many long-time friends before retiring in 1999.

Retirement brought time to travel with friends, various shopping trips around New England, trips to Belise and Mexico but her favorite were the yearly trips to Maine where she and Peter could just relax on the beach and eat lobster. (Barbara was a master at cleaning lobster, never missing a knuckle or the minute amount of meat in the legs.)

Barbara was a fierce competitor on the paddle or tennis court or at the dining room table where she was a formidable opponent at her favorite card and board games, Cribbage and Scrabble.

Through the years the dining room was also a welcoming place for a wide variety of Pete's and Barbara's friends as well as the friends of their children who always found a chair at the table to share a holiday dinner or a Sunday afternoon.

She is survived by her daughters, Susan Stevens (Stuart), Maryanne Bianca (Jerry Hoffman), and son TJ McDowell (Deb Wehrlin); grandchildren, Taylor Stevens (fiancé Melissa Kinville), Gregory Stevens (fiancé Jamie Latuch), James Bianca, Caitlin Bianca Covey (David Covey), Jacob McDowell, Emma McDowell and one great-granddaughter, Madison Stevens. She also leaves her sister Hilda Welch and brother Thomas Dickinson along with numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband Richard, son Christopher, daughter Sandra, brother Howard M Dickinson Jr., and his wife Tilly, brother-in-law Richard Welch and sister-in law Eileen Dickinson.

A memorial service is scheduled for June 13th, 2026, at 11 am at the Shelburne Methodist Church, in Shelburne, VT where she was a parishioner for over fifty years.

Many thanks to the entire team at The Arbors where she resided for the last 14 months.

Donations are encouraged to a charity of one's choice.

Arrangements are in the care of the Chittenden County Cremation Society, a division of the Ready Funeral and Cremation Services. To send online condolences please visit www.cremation societycc.com.