Nova Dowden

November 23, 1921, she dismissed her last class for a well-deserved, endless

summer vacation April 5, 2022.

She was preceded in passing by her husband Albert Milo Dowden, her father

Madison Jay Smith I, and mother, Nova Ross Smith Stone, her sister, Gloria and brother-in-law

William F. Lezon, her sister-in-law Callie and brother Madison Jay Smith II, nephews

Dale Patrick Lezon, Madison Jay Smith III, Ethan Smith, John Smith, Joseph Smith,

and great grandnephew, Austin Smith. She is survived by her niece Daria Joy Lezon Pezman, niece- in- law Carolyn Pouncey Smith, niece –in –Law Bunnie Lezon, nieces Sandra Smith Hammond and Cindy Smith Merritt, nephews David Smith, Jason Smith and Stephen Lezon, also numerous grand nephews and nieces and great grand nephews and nieces.

Nova was a woman ahead of her time. After graduating from the University of Texas with a

Masters Degree in English, she began her teaching career in southwest Texas

eventually settling, here in Houston. Along with her regular classes she also sponsored

the High School Distributive Education Program becoming familiar with area businesses and

working with various community organizations helping her students become successful adults.

She soon transferred her talents from academia to the business world becoming the

Personnel Director for the Rice Hotel and began a lengthy career in Hospitality Management.

She left the Rice Hotel after several years to help open the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas. She

soon left the confines of her home state for New York City, New York to work for the Pan Am

Corporation traveling the world searching the for the most talented executive chefs and

hospitality managers. She retired after several years but soon returned to academia.

Using her years of teaching and hotel management acumen, she wrote the curriculum for

and started teaching Hotel and Restaurant Management at East Stroudsburg University.

She grew the program from a few courses to a degree path and eventually became the

Dean of the Collage of Hotel and Restaurant Management.

A graveside service for Nova will be held Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Woodlawn Garden of Memories, 1101 Antoine Drive, Houston, Texas 77055.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.waltripfuneraldirectors.com for the Dowden family.