Craig Douglas Dowdy

Craig Douglas Dowdy

Oct. 30 1949 - Feb. 16, 2026

Craig Douglas Dowdy was born to Raymond and Eva Jane Dowdy on October 30, 1949, in San Antonio, Texas, 9 months after the coldest day in San Antonio history. The family moved to Pleasanton in early 1950 when his family bought a farm in the Verdi area.

Craig was active in the community his entire life. As a boy he helped out in his family's store in Pleasanton, where he would later spend most of his life serving his family and community. He was a active in the Boy Scouts. While in high school Craig played football, was active in the band, served as president and was on the May Fete court. After graduating from Pleasanton High School in 1967, he served in the Air Force Reserves and attended college at Southwest Texas State University graduating in 1972. During this time he married Mary Koehl on August 22, 1970. Over the next nine years they added four girls to the family - Sarah, Meredith, Ruth and Rebecca.

He was a member of the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce and served two terms on the board of directors. He chaired the dance gate committee for several years, and as a member of the Pleasanton Jaycees in the 1970's helped organize the first Cowboy Homecoming Rodeo. His volunteerism also included raising funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association by being "arrested and locked up" where his raised bail money benefited MDA.

Other organizations he supported include the Atascosa Bass Club, the NRA, The American Legion and the Coastal Conservation Association. Not only was he involved in these organizations, he also supported the Daughters of the American Revolution by helping his wife, Mary, operate the funnel cake booth at the Strawberry Festival grounds for many years.

As an avid supporter of the youth in the community, he was a buyer every year at the Atascosa Junior Livestock Show and served that organization on the auction committee. He worked as an advocate of the Boy Scouts, by helping fundraise for the Four Rivers District. He was a reading mentor at the Pleasanton Elementary School. He trained many area young people in the area of sales and customer service by having students work in his store through career co-op programs at Pleasanton High School.

He was an active member of the Pleasanton Rotary Club for over 50 years. He served that club in every capacity including president and board member. He cooked more spaghetti for spaghetti dinners, boiled more shrimp for golf tournament meals and sold more Cow Patty Bingo tickets than anyone in town. He spent his life living the Rotary Club's motto, "service above self."

As a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Pleasanton, Craig strove to implement his Christian values in every facet of his life. He served on the church's Pulpit committee, United We Build committee, and chaired the budget committee. He was a leader for the Royal Ambassadors and led the Men's Bible Study. He also portrayed the role of Isaiah in the annual community-wide Christmas Village for many years.

In 2007, Craig was invited to attend A Walk to Emmaus retreat. He hesitated because he had heard that after attending a Walk to Emmaus, one was encouraged to attend weekly meetings. He told his daughter that he was already in enough clubs and church groups with meetings and didn't think he could fit in one more thing. But he went. After he went, he was invited to attend the men's Prickly Pear Emmaus reunion group, and he went, and went, and went. That group of men that gathered each Friday morning became one of the most important groups in his life. He didn't go because it was another weekly meeting obligation, he went because he needed the support and prayers of these brothers in Christ.

Craig was honored as Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce Young Citizen in 1980, Business Person in 1990 and Man of the Year in 1998, Senior Citizen in 2016 and in 2000, he and Mary were named couple of the year. He also received the Community Builder Award from the Masonic Lodge in 2003.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Mary Dowdy, sister Janie Raye Wehman, brother and sister-in-law Preston and Lynn Dowdy, daughters and sons-in-law Sarah and Robby Evans, Meredith and Guy Rutherford, Ruth Dowdy, son-in-law Brandon McCluskey, grandchildren Jennifer, Courtney, Jeremy, Cody, JC, Cali, Joris, Robert, McAda, Bennack, Lilley, Rex, Devon, Dane and great-grandchildren Alexandra, Cassandra, Jareth, Samantha, Laney, Brody, Chezneigh, Hattie, Jaxon, Sayler, Grayson, Liam, Emersyn, Khloe and Celeste, in-laws Carol Anne Koehl, Catherine Austin, Robert Koehl, Rosalind Cook plus many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Craig was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Rebecca Dowdy McCluskey and in-laws La Merle and Robert C. Koehl and Ernest "Bubba" Wehman, Jr.

Well done, good and faithful servant. May you rest in peace.

Visitation will be on Friday, February 20 from 5-7 pm at the First Baptist Church in Pleasanton. Funeral services will be on Saturday, February 21 at 2:00 pm at the First Baptist Church in Pleasanton, with burial to follow at the St. Andrew #2 Cemetery in Pleasanton.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of Craig be made to the Rotary Club of Pleasanton.

Online link https://rotaryptx.square.site/product/donation/2?cs=true&cst=custom

By mail:

Rotary Club of Pleasanton

PO Box 835

Pleasanton Tx 78064

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