Geraldine "Jeri" Anne Dowd

Geraldine Anne (Dobski) Dowd, “Jeri”, died Sunday morning, November 16, 2025 at the age of 84 with family and friends gathered at her bedside.

She is survived by her husband James “Jed” Dowd and their seven children: Barbara (Terry), James (Daphne), Michael (Megan), Teresa (Shad), Daniel (Mary Beth), Monica (Michael) and Joseph (Angela), 52 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by her brother, Theodore (Elaine) Dobski and their children Jeff and Christine

Jeri was predeceased by one child, Christopher, who died shortly after birth (1969), and by her parents Theodore and Helen Dobski.

The first of two children, Jeri was born on September 1st, 1941 in Pontiac, Michigan, where her parents had settled after they married in 1939. Her father worked in automobile manufacturing. She described her childhood as “idyllic”, spending a lot of time outdoors, at the lake down the street, or bicycling around her neighborhood with her friends -she had a ton of life-long friends!

She attended grade school at St. Hugo Catholic School where she was taught by the teaching order of sisters, The Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Interestingly, about 60 years later, Jeri was able to visit one of the sisters who had taught her how to pray and play as a young girl. Her high school years were spent at St. Frederick's where she excelled in athletics and was made captain of the female basketball team which won their league championship her senior year!

Fulfilling her hopes of pursuing a career in nursing, Jeri attended Borgess School of Nursing in Kalamazoo, Michigan where she received her nursing license.

Not long after graduation, Jeri and one of her nursing friends decided to move to the Los Angeles area where she would meet her future husband, Jed. They hit it off immediately and were married soon after. Jed was well on his way to being baptized into the Catholic Church.

After a few years in California they realized that they would like to raise their family in a different environment. Spending a few years living in New York, Alabama, and Washington state, they finally settled down in Arvada, Colorado with 6 children. After surviving a house fire and living in a hotel for many months, their seventh child was brought into this world. She and her husband were always overjoyed with the addition of a new child to the family. Her large family was her pride and joy. This spirit of generosity would be a subtle yet monumental testament to her legacy extending to all who knew her.

In Colorado, Jeri and Jed were really able to settle in with the family. They were able to enroll their children in small Catholic schools that held on to our Traditional Catholic culture. They were very active with keeping the schools up and running. Jeri was always ready to help out with the main school fundraiser, BINGO! There were times when she would be the bingo caller and she very often helped to organize volunteers (her kids included a willing troop!) to pitch in as much as possible.

Having a great appreciation for the gift of life, she would regularly take us children to local parks along with friends and spend afternoons in the summer visiting and watching and enjoying her family. Being in Colorado meant that she was pretty far away from her home state of Michigan, so every few years she would take us kids to visit her family and friends out there. Driving across the country with a van full of kids may seem daunting to some, but not her! She was not lacking in a sense of adventure! She had a genuinely loving way of dealing with everyone, putting everyone at ease with her kindness and bright smile. She literally never met anyone she didn’t like, and that is the truth! As her family got a little older, holidays became a real lively time at the Dowd house where family and friends would gather. Jeri was always taking part in or planning the festivities! Oh! and the farm parties! She enjoyed playing hostess!

Having a nursing background, she also worked in various capacities in retirement homes and communities. She eventually worked in the “in-home” health services. This was always right up her alley because she was the kind of person who could just make people feel better by her joy, warmth, and genuine interest in every soul that she encountered.

As a devoted “grandma”, Jeri was very close to all of her grandchildren and even made one last crazy trip to Cortez, Colorado a few years ago to visit one of her daughter's young and growing family! She has had the joy of watching many of her grandchildren grow up, start families of their own, and even enter the religious life.

In 2017, Jeri and Jed moved out to St Marys where three of their children live. It suited them well to move here, to be closer to the family, the Sacraments, and to start a new chapter in their life. Even though Jeri's health was not great in her years in Kansas, she still managed to establish many solid friendships with her joy, caring spirit, and generous heart.

In her own cheerful way, Jeri has, by her example, taught her children the value of hard work, tempered with keeping a light heart, and always seeing the best in others, while fundamentally keeping our feet directed towards Heaven and doing God’s will.

As recently as two weeks ago, Jeri expressed once again how blessed she has been in her life, from her childhood, throughout her marriage, from the beginning to the end. It’s hard to disagree! And this writer knows that she has been thankful to God for all of these things too.

Jeri had a great sense of humor and was always there to lift a person up, seeing the best in them.

Jeri died after having received the Last Rites and Apostolic Blessing of the Church. Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let Perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.

The family will receive friends from 2:00 - 4:00 PM on Monday, November 24 at Piper Funeral Home in St. Marys with a rosary following at The Immaculata, 701 N. 2nd St, St. Marys at 5:20 PM. A Requiem Mass will be offered for Geraldine at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, November 25th, also at The Immaculata, followed by burial in Our Lady of Peace cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to either The Consoling Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by clicking on the link HERE, The Benedictines of Mary Queen of the Apostles by clicking on the link HERE , or to the Sister Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest at the following link HERE.