Gil Dowd

Dr. Bernard Gilmore Dowd Jr (Gil)

Dr. Bernard Gilmore Dowd Jr (Gil) passed away peacefully on October 31, 2019. A native San Franciscan, he graduated from St Ignatius High School in 1957 where he excelled as an athlete but was most formidable on the football field. He continued his education under an athletic scholarship at Stanford University where he played four years of football and studied history and geography. He then attended Marquette University Medical School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After medical school, he attended residency at UCSF and ultimately moved to Modesto, CA to practice ENT, Head and Neck Surgery for 34 years. He was inducted into the San Francisco Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
He lived his life to the fullest in his pursuit of caring for others in his professional and personal life. One of his passions was spending time with his grandchildren who brought out a very soft spot in him. He enjoyed showing them a deep joy for the playful side of life.
He was an individual who lived every day to the fullest. Most days started before dawn with a quick jog and mass, followed by surgery and seeing patients, then a game of handball before enjoying a cocktail on the deck with his beautiful wife. It was very hard to keep up with his perpetually energized soul! He also enjoyed traveling and spending time with his friends and family in his favorite locations such as the ranch in Santa Cruz and the cabin at Calaveras.
After he suffered a devastating stroke in 2004, he struggled with his limitations but enjoyed the company of his family and friends, reminiscing and telling old stories in which he remembered every detail and every name. He loved reading and digesting everything historical. He often spoke of how he dreamed of things he loved in healthier times, such as skiing, biking, hiking, scuba diving, running, fishing and river-rafting. He will be remembered as kind and open-hearted, genuinely curious and interested in others. He embodied a gentle power and grace that can only be cultivated by a deep devotion to something greater than life's circumstances. Gil and his wife Molly found solace in their deep love for each other. Dr. Gil Dowd was preceded in death by his parents Margaret Amelia Skelly Dowd and Bernard Gilmore Dowd Sr. He is survived by his wife Molly Duggan Dowd and his sister Janet Dowd Lacampagne; his children Gil Dowd III (Bryce, Annalise, Rachael); Kathleen Dowd Belzer and John Belzer (Annika, Conor, Julian); Kevin Dowd (Molly, Jack, Claire); Kristen Dowd Addicks and Rick Addicks (Skye Mairead and Casey). We will remember Gil as larger than life and genuinely humble all at he same time. He has inspired us on our personal journeys and will remain our teacher and advisor for generations to come.
Friends may visit Tuesday, November 12 after 4PM and are invited to attend the Rosary 6 PM Tuesday at the Evergreen Mortuary of McAvoy O'Hara Co. Geary Blvd at 10th Ave.
The Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday 10 AM at St. Ignatius Church, Parker at Fulton St.
The Family prefers contributions to Olympic Club Foundation (https://www.olympicclubfoundation.org/) or the St Vincent de Paul Society( https://www.vinnies.org/ ).