Margaret Dolinger Sowder, 92, passed away peacefully at home on August 16, 2018. One of four children of Ralph and Lucy Dolinger, she was born in Washington Co., Virginia and raised in Bluefield, West Virginia. She was a member of the Navy Reserve Nurse Corps and a Registered Nurse, graduate of St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in Huntington, West Virginia.
Margaret was a resident of Lynchburg for 69 years, most recently at Valley View Retirement Community, which she enjoyed very much. She was a member of Beulah Baptist and Calvary Baptist Churches in Lynchburg as well as the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Margaret is survived by her five children: Michael Sowder, Ann Sowder and husband Michael Huerta, Marty Brooks, Jim Sowder and wife Suzy, and Bill Sowder and wife Lynn. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Emily Brooks, Matthew Huerta, Helena Sowder and Jake Sowder as well as one sister, Bettye Jo Dunfee of Proctorville, Ohio.
Margaret was preceded in death by her husband Joe Shelor Sowder, her sister Mary Louise Thorne, her brother William Hughes Dolinger, and a son-in-law Frederick Victor Brooks.
The family is very grateful for the compassionate care provided by Centra Hospice and her in-home care givers who did so much to help her stay at home and be comfortable.
Margaret was kind and caring and gave her time and her heart to her family and friends. She will be remembered for her years of volunteering at her Church’s library, Centra Hospital and AARP Foundation's Tax-Aide program. She also enjoyed a lifelong love of quilting.
Funeral Services for Margaret will be held on Monday, August 20, 2018, at Calvary Baptist Church (20957 Timberlake Rd., Lynchburg, VA 24502) with the Rev. Louis Beckwith officiating. Visitation will be held at 11 am, followed by a Service at 12 noon. Following the Service, burial will occur at Virginia Memorial Park in Forest VA.
In lieu of flowers, she requested donations be made to either the Calvary Baptist Church or to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (cff.org - in honor of her grandson Jake Sowder).
To send online condolences to the family, please visit www.whittentimberlake.com.
Whitten Timberlake Chapel is serving the family, (434) 239-0331.
