Mary Pearl Dowd

Mary Pearl Chavis Dowd, 91, of Gaston, S. C. entered the courts of heaven on Friday, April 7, 2023. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 PM Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at First Baptist Church of Gaston Cemetery 121 Oakley Springs Road Gaston, SC 29053 with Rev. Brady Henderson officiating. The family will receive friends from 12:30 PM until time of service at cemetery. Mrs. Dowd was born April 2, 1932, in Lexington County, a daughter of the late Benjamin Chavis and the late Louis Lilly Mae Smith Chavis. She was a beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and Great-Great-Grandmother. She graduated from Swansea High School Class of 1970. She worked for the A & P Tea Company in Columbia, S. C., and Bi-Lo Food Store before she retired to be a homemaker. She enjoyed sewing, crocheting, quilting, lunching with friends and visiting the sick. Mrs. Dowd was a lifetime member of First Baptist Church of Gaston. Survivors include her children, Curtis M. Dowd (Sherry), Mary Gwendolyn D. Campbell (James), Myra Deborah D. Spires (Keith) and Mark Benson Dowd; ten grandchildren: Jessica D. Crouch (Phil), Nancy Dowd, Tina D. McElroy (Donnie), Heather Garner (Steven), Mitchell Campbell (Hong), Ben Spires (Susan), Amber Hendrix (John), Diane Sharpe (John), and Shane Dowd; nine great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Mitchell Dowd; her sister, Linda Chavis Wiles; her brother, Lee Chavis; Lilly Chavis and Robert Chavis. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Gaston Cemetery 121 Oakley Springs Road Gaston, S. C. 29053. The family would like to thank the team of Gentiva Hospice, especially Monica and Pam. We would also like to give a special thanks to her care giver and granddaughter, Tina McElroy, for her dedicated service to Granny for over seven years. Pallbearers will be Phil Crouch, Mitchell Campbell, Steven Garner, Ben Spires, Shane Dowd, and Donnie McElroy. Culler-McAlhany Funeral Home (www.mcalhanyfuneralhome.com) is in charge of arrangements.