BANGOR – Fred D. Dowd Jr., 85, passed peacefully March 19, 2012, at a Bangor nursing home, after a lengthy illness. Fred was born April 4, 1926, in St. Louis, the eldest son of Fred D. Dowd Sr. and Artechia Charleston Dowd.
After graduation from high school, Fred enlisted in the U.S. Army. Before deploying to Germany in 1944, he married the love of his life, Anne Taylor Dowd. Fred served as a career soldier serving in Vietnam in addition to his tour during World War II. Always curious and seeking challenges, he served in the artillery and in the military police, where he was a K-9 Corps handler. He also earned the equivalent of an associate degree while serving. Known for his sense of humor and ready wit, he was also a singer and guitarist with a passion for jazz.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a sister, Doris; a brother, William; and his eldest son, Fred D. Dowd III. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Anne; and his children, Shani of Milton, Mass., Kendall and his wife, Sue, of Milford, N.H., Carol of Boston, Michelle of Medford, Mass., and David of Medford, Mass.; granddaughters, Kyla, Jenna, Avianna and Amber; as well as a grandson, Axel. He will also be missed by his great-grandchildren, Rhianna, Grace and Danica.
A memorial service will be 10 a.m. Thursday, March 22, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor. Interment will be 2 p.m. Thursday, March 22, at Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 163 Mount Vernon Road, Augusta. Those who wish to remember Fred in a special way may make gifts in his memory to Eastside Rehabilitation and Living Center, 516 Mount Hope Ave., Bangor, ME 04401. Condolences to the family may be expressed at
www.BrookingsSmith.com.