Jack William Dowdle

Jack William Dowdle was born in Nampa Idaho on January 1, 1926 to William Wilford and Manila White Dowdle. He enlisted in the Navy Air Core in 1943 at the age of seventeen. He served for three years. In 1944 he graduated from Nampa High School.  Jack married Barbara Thompson in the Salt Lake LDS Temple performed by an apostle, Ezra Taft Benson in August of 1951. While students at BYU in 1952, Jack and Barbara had 3 life goals: To serve a mission together, to live on a farm, and Jack’s personal goal of circumnavigating the world. All 3 goals were accomplished before their 16th wedding anniversary.  He graduated from BYU in 1954 with a Bachelor in Industrial Art. Jack and Barbara then moved to the Tongan Islands in the South Pacific to complete an LDS Church Building Mission that Jack was called on. Upon completing the mission, Jack and Barbara moved their family to Idaho and lived in Boise and Meridian Idaho with their seven children. Jack served his country in Vietnam from 1966-1970. He then returned to the Boise Valley where he was a building contractor. They remained in the Boise Valley until 1981 when Jack and Barbara moved their family to North Salt Lake. Jack worked in construction in the Salt Lake Valley for many years. He was involved in many well-known projects including the LDS Church Conference Center, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and West High School. Jack served as Bishop of the Woods Cross 8th Ward, on the High Council of the Woods Cross East Stake, as Branch President of the Nha Trang Branch and DaNang, Vietnam Branch, and served in many other church callings. He was also involved in many of his favorite activities including hunting, fishing, gardening, BYU football, and activities with his family. He completed a life goal to circumnavigate the world like Magellan did in the 1500’s.

Jack is survived by his loving wife Barbara and children Deon, Moana, Chris, Danielle, Kevin, and Sara, as well as nineteen grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved daughter Karen.

Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, January 21, 2017 at the Orchard 10th Ward Chapel, 3317 South 800 West, North Salt Lake, Utah.  A viewing will be held at the church from 11:45-12:45 prior to the service.