William Alton McDowell

William Alton McDowell, 76, of Charleston, South Carolina, husband of Donie Turner McDowell and Virginia Louise Adkins McDowell entered into eternal rest Monday, March 19, 2018. A Celebration of William's Life will be held on Friday, March 23, 2018 in J. HENRY STUHR INC., WEST ASHLEY CHAPEL, 3360 Glenn McConnell Parkway at 11:00 a.m. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Bill was born June 23, 1941 in Fitzgerald, Georgia, son of the late Grover Robert McDowell and Dora Mae Stone McDowell. He was a graduate of Warner Robins High School class of 1959, and graduate of University of South Carolina where he received his Bachelor of Arts, English Language and Literature in 1963. William was a U.S. Navy Lieutenant from 1963 to 1967 where he received the National Defense Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Ribbon. He was Head of the Contracts Division with The Naval Space and Warfare Systems Center in Charleston SC until his retirement in 2000. Bill was a National Associate Member of the National Geographic Society, Associate member of the Smithsonian Institution, member of Arbor Day Foundation and a member of Ocean Conservancy. He is survived by his children, son, Scott Austin McDowell and his wife Ren" of Copperas Cove, TX, daughter, Melissa Mosny and her husband Shane of Charleston, SC, daughter, Teri Hanley and her husband Lee of Cottageville, SC, daughter, Cathy Keller- Edmands and her husband Stanley of Ravenel, SC; his four grandchildren, Kristen Cortez (Emilio), Alyssa McDowell, Ginia Simmons (Ross), DJ Hanley and five great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Charleston Animal Society, 2455 Remount Road, North Charleston, SC 29406.