Dowdy Scholarship entrusted to Dexter Schools Foundation

The Dexter Public Schools Foundation is pleased to announce that the Foundation has received a generous gift of over $37,000 to establish a perpetual memorial scholarship. The awarding of the "Pauline and Danzil Dowdy Scholarship" has been entrusted to the Foundation's Board of Directors. Donating in memory of their parents are the six Dowdy children: sisters Roberta Sanders, Gloria Dowdy, Janice Crum; sister-in-law Elaine Dowdy, wife of deceased brother Darrol Dowdy, and brothers Dan Dowdy and Larry Dowdy.

This annual scholarship(s) will be awarded to a graduating DHS senior who: has established a sincere plan to pursue a career in either agriculture or nursing; possesses a satisfactory ACT, SAT, or ASSET score; timely submits a completed application and transcript; and successfully interviews with the selection committee.

The Dowdy family honors the memory of Pauline and Danzil Dowdy who dedicated their lives to God, their children, and to the community. Both were born and raised on farms west of Dexter and attended country schools. They married in 1933 and raised three daughters and three sons on the family farm that has been maintained for several generations. Danzil and Pauline instilled a strong work-ethic in their children through the farm chores associated with having dairy cows and row crops. Danzil sometimes worked at other jobs to supplement the farm income but always managed to "make a crop" and hang onto the farm. After enduring two serious heart attacks in 1965, Danzil was no longer able to participate in the hard physical farm labor, but he remained active in the farm's management and conservation. During the years following his retirement, Danzil was able to enjoy his love of hunting and fishing. Until his death in 1982, Danzil remained an active and faithful member of the Bridge Church of Christ where he served as a song leader and teacher.

Always busy as a farm wife and mother, Pauline Dowdy found time to earn a GED diploma and began her nurse's training when her youngest child started school. All six children attended her "Capping Ceremony" in 1964 when she became an LPN. At age 51, instead of considering retirement, Pauline began her new nursing career and worked continuously in nursing homes and hospitals until she retired from the Dexter Memorial Hospital in 1987. Until her death at age 92, Pauline tirelessly volunteered her time and talents to the Dowdy 4-H Club, hospital auxiliary, American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Reach for Recovery, Relay for Life, and the Golden Age Quilting Club. She also remained a faithful and active member of the Dexter Church of Christ and donated to worthy causes too numerous to list.

Pauline's love and pride in nursing and her devotion to duty in the local medical community will long be remembered by her colleagues and her patients and their families. Danzil's tireless efforts in caring for the land, in helping his neighbors, and in service to his Lord are a lasting tribute that his family continues to treasure. In 1997 their beloved farm was designated a Missouri Century Farm and remains a testament to the hard work and resourcefulness that kept the farm intact despite the hardships which Danzil and Pauline and their forefathers endured.

The education of their six children was a priority for Danzil and Pauline Dowdy who always appreciated and supported Dexter Public Schools where all the children attended. If complaints about school taxes were heard, the Dowdy family would always reply, "Someone paid taxes for our kids to go to school, so we are happy to pay for the kids today." Therefore, to honor the legacy of faith, work, and love that Danzil and Pauline Dowdy generously demonstrated, the children have established this memorial scholarship.

The Dexter Public Schools Foundation is a 501c(3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible, and contributions are ear-marked by the donor to support academic and vocational instruction; to support educational co-curricular activities; or to provide scholarships, grants, and other types of financial assistance to the students and graduates of Dexter R-XI Schools.

For further information about the Foundation, contact any member of the Dexter Public Schools Foundation Board of Directors: Mark Becker, Rick Williams, Joe Watson, Betty Keirsey, Herman Morse or contact Dr. Thomas Sharp, Superintendent of Dexter Public Schools.