Dan Dowd

It´s been a while since I lived. I loved and laughed, cried tears of laughter, pain and joy. But now I silent rest with god, forever at peace, your Danny boy.

In my dotage I pop names into the machine of people I haven't seen in decades, folks who I knew to be good. I attended Thomas More School in Harrisville, N. H. with Dan for a year (1970?). We were both cynical, loved laughing and were likely there, sidelined in the snow, for good reason. I have never and shall never be able to recall Dan without his cheeky smile. I'm jealous he did so well in music. I had no clue.

Rest easy Dan, rest easy. You gave us much. The pain is gone and you are free.

I remember Dan and his two brothers as darling little boys who lived with their parents, Mary and Jim ,on Pleasant Street. I regrer deeply I am unable to personally express my sadness to the boys on the loss of their brother and I just hope happy memories of growing up together will bring comfort. Barbara C. Bernard

You left a legacy of humor, music and good will that few will match and none exceed.

Death ends a life not a relationship.
Safe journey brother.

Dogs run free so shall we, we had some fun 'n i'll catch yah on the run. Peace Brother

Ah, Dan we hardly knew you.

I met Dan through a mutual friend of ours who had been getting together with him to play music. Dan had a slew of songs that he hoped to record and I was recommended. Now, sometimes when I go to meet musicians for the first time, there can be a bit of anxiety. The day I met Dan I felt like I was merely reconnecting with a long time friend that I had not seen for some time. It was just friends playing...

What I will both remember and miss the most will be the times when we just talked for hours. Sometimes it was in regard to quite important political or global concerns, where we did not always meet eye to eye, but always learned from, and respected each other. Other times it was like an impromptu stand up routine/seminar, with Samuel Clemens, Albert Einstein, Groucho Marx and my brother Paul... I am smiling in remembrance.

Dan, I am sorry that you will have to wait longer to meet Paul.

That wonderful wry smile is what I will remember of Danny.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Dowd Family.

So sorry for your loss. I remember Dan as a little kid hanging out with my brother. My condolences to all and God bless.

Dan's Obit photo captures him so well - and that's the guy I will always remember. I first met Dan at the Naval Reserve Center in Chicopee (Westover AFB) - he was the Editor of the command's monthly newsletter and I was a frustrated would-be writer. Dan was kind enough to allow me to contribute articles to his publication - I'm sure the well trained Naval Journalist (now a Reservist after his active duty stint at GITMO) was amused to have an active duty Navy Yeoman working for him! Dan 'showed me the ropes' and I was allowed to assume the editorship from him when he left the Reserve Program a few years later. It was one of the best collateral duties of my 23 year career and I always owed Dan a debt of gratitude (especially because my last tour in the Navy was spent as a Public Affairs Coordinator and newsletter editor of a much larger newsletter that went out to a six state audience). It was Dan's initial training that helped me qualify for that job. I'm from the Greenfield area so I bumped into Dan on occasion over the years and we later reconnected through the magic of Facebook. I was warmed and cheered by the words Dan wrote in remembering his Uncle Ed (The Naval Officer!) when he passed away in 2009 - about thinking of peaches and I will be sure to think of Dan when I see peaches. My condolences to Dan's family and friends - he served his country with honor and he made a difference in the lives of many people through his talents as a writer, a musician and a friend. Fair Winds and Following Seas, Shipmate. We salute you.

Thank you for your service, and may you R.I.P.

I will miss you, my friend.