Rodney "Tiny" Lars Dowell, 83 of Gering, was called home Thursday October 31st, 2019, at Heritage Estates in Gering. Funeral services to be held on Saturday November 2nd at 10am, at the Dugan-Kramer Funeral Home in Scottsbluff with Pastor Ben Cross officiating. Interment will be held at West Lawn Cemetery in Gering with military honors. Friends who wish may call at Dugan-Kramer Funeral Home from 5pm to 7pm on Friday November 1st and the morning of the funeral. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Legacy of the Plains Museum (Farm and Ranch) or to the family. Online condolences may be left at www.dugankramer.com
Rod was born on January 6th, 1936 in Gordon, Nebraska to Lewis Winfield and Wilma Gertrude (Fankhauser) Dowell. He moved with his family to Gering, Nebraska at the age of 3 where he grew up and graduated from Gering High School in 1954 and Scottsbluff Junior College in 1956. Rod met the love of his life, Hazel Marie Howell, at Terry's Skating Rink in 1957. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in August 1958 and would take leave a year later to marry Hazel on August, 23rd 1959. They then moved to Camp Lejune, North Carolina where they experienced the only recorded 'double-eye' hurricane in a 8'x16' trailer home.
Upon returning to Nebraska in 1961, they had 3 children Cindy Rae, Leslie Wayne and Connie Sue. Rod spent 25 years working for the Nebraska Public Power District when he eventually "retired" in 1993. From the age of 15, Rod assisted his father running Dowell Windmill and Well Service part time and on the weekends until he then decided to make this his full time calling until 2012. He was known to many as "The Windmill Man". In 2007, he won first place with his 'Year of the Windmill' Float at Oregon
Trail Days where he was also named Old Settler's Honorary President in 2009.
Rod's enjoyments included meeting with brother-in-law Harvey Rupp and family for breakfast at Country Kitchen/Log Cabin on Sunday mornings, volunteering at the Legacy of the Plains Museum where he was a chartered member, assisting his family with the running of Cornhusker Roast. He recently celebrated and was very grateful to attend his 65th class reunion.
Survivors include his children: Cindy & Bradley Floth, Les & Jana Dowell, Connie & Scot Fulk. Grandchildren: Angela Shields (Jordan Rodriquez), Pamela & Chris Lee, Natalie Floth (Anastasia Perales), Stephanie & Todd Rood, Mikayla Fulk (fiancé Timothy Herman), Jerrod Fulk. And 10 great-grandchildren: Keagan Powell, Brendan Shields, Logan & Hope Rodriquez, Ethan Lee, Lila, Tennysee, Jaxton, Trevyn & Kamron Rood. Sister-in-law Dorothy Dowell; sisters Becky Mills and Judy Hatcher, numerous nieces and nephews and cousins.
Rod was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 49 years Hazel, brother Richard Dowell, sister Ruby (Harvey) Rupp, infant grandson, in-laws Harry & Ida Loy Howell.
