Born in Gillsville, Georgia on November 13, 1933, she was the daughter of the late Floyd and Elsie Collins Vaughn.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded by her husband Henry Neil McDowell; son-in-law Jeff Cook and her brothers J.W. Vaughn and A.T. Vaughn.
She was a member of Highland Baptist Church and worked at Holiday Laundry.
She is survived by her daughter Tamra McDowell Cook of Hickory; her son Kenneth McDowell of Hickory and Neil McDowell of Hickory; granddaughters Kara Cook Moore and husband Coty of Hickory and Jada Cook Reinhardt and husband Christian of Houston, TX; grandsons Gunnar McDowell of Hickory and Colten McDowell of Charleston, SC; great grandchildren Knox Moore, Hazley, Braxton and Raelynn Reinhardt.
Funeral service will be held, Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 11:00 am at Hickory Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Mark Ikerd officiating. The family will receive friends from 10:00 am to 10:45 am prior to funeral service. Graveside service will be at Carolina Memorial Park, 601 Mt. Olivet Road, Kannapolis, NC 28083 at 2:00 pm.
