Dorothy May Dowty

Dorothy May Dowty was born April 7, 1933 in Havre, Montana to Edward and Blanche (Homsher) Kreamer. She graduated from Havre High School in 1951, and soon after moved to Portland with her adoptive family after her father’s job transfer with the railroad.

She met her husband Archie Dowty at the D Street Corral dance hall in Portland, and they were married in June of 1955. They lived on Interstate Avenue until 1960, and then moved into the home in SE Portland that they shared until Archie’s death in 1996, and where she continued to live until 2018. Dorothy took care of her siblings when she was a young woman, and worked as a telephone operator for Pacific NW Bell until the mid-1970s.

Dorothy was friends with everyone she met, and her home on Cora Street was a haven for the many people she touched with her loving kindness and hospitality. The most obvious aspect of Dorothy’s life was her vibrant and intimate relationship with Jesus. As one of her grandchildren said, “If you want to know who Grandma was, just look at her Bible.” The many notations and underlined passages show how closely she walked with her Savior. Her home was filled with pictures of loved ones and Bible verses and notes that all reminded her to pray continually. She was active at the various churches she attended throughout her life: Calvary Bible Church, Hinson Church, and Oak Grove Church. The family enjoyed camping trips, and Dorothy remembered fondly the last extended vacation she and Archie took, a long trip back East in the early 90s where they visited relatives and saw the sights and landmarks. She loved flowers and took great comfort from them.

She was preceded in death by her husband Archie Dowty, her adoptive parents Ardeth Berglund and Robert Trudell, and by a brother, Emmanuel Kreamer, as well as sister Nancy (Trudell) Converse.

She will be remembered with great love by her three children, Richard Allan Dowty and wife Andrea of Shelby, Michigan, Marilyn Louise Fadenrecht and husband Allen of Damascus, Oregon, and Cheryl Ann Gardner and husband David of Brier, Washington; sisters Nadine (Trudell) Peterson and Roberta (Trudell) Plaisted; grandchildren Nicole (Dowty) Lesausky, James Dowty, Andrew Fadenrecht, Laura Fadenrecht, Cory Fadenrecht, Emily (Fadenrecht) Manley, Carol Gardner, Katherine (Gardner) Anliker, Annelise (Gardner) Rew; great-grandchildren Adalyn Grace Fadenrecht, Lucas Andrew Fadenrecht, Archie Edwin Manley, Augustus ‘Gus’ James Lesausky, Ian Richard Lesausky.

Private burial service will be held, with an undetermined future memorial celebration. The family would be grateful for donations in Dorothy’s name to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Cards, remembrances, or questions can be sent to Marilyn Fadenrecht, 11883 SE 222nd Dr., Damascus, OR 97089; 503-888-3153.