Leonard Lee (Sandy) McDowell, 77, of Pekin (formerly of Bartonville) passed away at 12:38PM on Friday, March 2, 2018 at his residence in Pekin. He was born on November 16, 1940 to Edward A. McDowell and Grace (Leonard) McDowell. He was the youngest of four siblings including brother James A. McDowell and sisters Betty McDowell and Mildred (McDowell) Clark. He married Alberta Heitzman on August 22, 1986 in Peoria, IL. She survives.
Also surviving are sons Gregory L. McDowell and David (Emily) W. McDowell both of Bartonville, IL; step-daughters Melonie (Steve) J. Cline of Canton, IL and Kim (Todd) R. Hagen of Iron Mountain, MI; and step-son Alfred (Anne) R. Warner III of Henderson, NV; Eleven grandchildren and several great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Pebbyl McDowell of Washington, IL; his beloved adopted dog Max; and several nieces and nephews.
He graduated from Canton High School in 1958 and took some college courses at Canton Community (Spoon River) College.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother James A. McDowell, and sisters Betty McDowell and Mildred Clark.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving as a Machinist Mate Second Class on the destroyer USS Gainard (DD706) on active duty from October 1958 to May of 1961, then serving in the U.S. Naval Reserve until October 1964. He was active in the USS Gainard veterans group.
After his service in the Navy, he worked at Canton Automotive Parts and Machine as a machinist for eight years total, working full time and then continuing to work part-time on nights and weekends after he was hired full time at Caterpillar. He then worked at Caterpillar from 1965 until his retirement in 1995. He started as a machinist apprentice and held various job titles working in the tool room, then becoming Foreman, General Foreman, Factory Superintendent of Building X Assembly and he eventually worked his way up to Superintendent of Manufacturing for the East Peoria facility without a college degree, which is probably a feat that will not be accomplished again in this day and age. He was selected to travel to Japan and China in the 1980’s to help them set up plants to manufacture specific Caterpillar equipment. He retired in 1995 and due to his mechanical skills and aptitude, he was asked to come back and work for the Global Mining division in Field Technical Support to go to jobsites and help troubleshoot equipment that the engineers and maintenance workers could not get operational.
He also owned and operated McDowell Excavating, installing wells, building foundations, roads and septic systems in and around the Peoria area.
He liked to duck and pheasant hunt, go fishing, shoot his numerous guns, and play with and work on his bulldozers and backhoes in his spare time when he wasn’t spending time with his family.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 452 in Brimfield, IL and the Masonic Lodge of Canton, IL.
Graveside services will be held on Saturday, March 10, 2018 at 10:30 AM at Swan Lake Memory Gardens in Peoria. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, or the Wounded Warrior Project. Davison-Fulton Funeral Home in Bartonville is assisting the family. You may create an online condolence at www.davison-fultonbartonvillechapel.com.
