Lillian (Orne) Dowdell
March 9, 1928 ~ December 18, 2023
Lillian (Orne) Dowdell, 95, died December 18, 2023 at Bedford Hills Nursing Home, Bedford, NH. She was born Lillian Morse Orne at the old Mary Alley Hospital in Marblehead on March 9, 1928. She was the daughter of the late Burt and Mary (Stone) Orne. She lived in Marblehead until her marriage to Richard “Dick” Dowdell of Salem. They moved to Danvers in 1951, where she resided for over 70 years.
Lillian stayed at home for 20 years to raise their three children. She then went to work for the Town of Danvers School Department in the cafeteria at the former Holten High School until it closed. She then transferred to the Great Oak School, as manager until her retirement in 1988.
She did volunteer work at Saint Alphonsus Church and the Danvers Senior Center for many years. She loved to knit and made lovely afghans and sweaters. She also decorated many special cakes for family affairs.
She was predeceased by her husband of over 60 years, Richard C. Dowdell, in 2005.
She is survived by one daughter, Patricia Baldwin of Bedford,NH, two sons, Richard
“Rick” and his wife, Cheryl; and David and his wife, Gail, all of Vero Beach, Florida, three grandchildren: Jonathan, Bryan and Melissa; and six great-grandchildren: Christina, Lily, Victoria, Audrey, Dean and Duke.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, January 4, 2024 at 10AM in Saint Mary of the Annunciation Church, 24 Conant St., Danvers. Burial will follow in Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead. Relatives and friends are invited. Visiting hours are Wednesday from 4-6PM in C.R. Lyons & Sons Funeral Directors, 28 Elm St., Danvers Square. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lillian’s memory may be made to VNA Hospice, 1070 Holt Ave #1400, Manchester, NH 03109. For directions or to share an expression of sympathy with Lillian’s family, please visit www.LyonsFuneral.com.
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Aunt Lillian, my most beloved Godmother. You were the kindest and most caring woman I have ever known. The world is darker now without your light. I love you. Denise Portelance