Obituary

Richard Colin McDowell, age 87 of Goodyear died February 11, 2021. He was born in 1933 at Swampscott Mass. His wife of 65 years, Eileen passed in 2017, was the love of his life and now are at peace in heaven together.

He is survived by his son Daniel McDowell of Hutto TX, daughters Kathleen Schmadeke of Goodyear AZ, Sandra Scovil of Wenatchee WA, Susan Gonyou of Sarnia Canada and his son Richard Scott McDowell of Kapolei HI. He leaves behind 14 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Richard retired from the United States Coast Guard as a Warrant Officer after 20 years in Air Search and Rescue on the East and Gulf coasts, and the Hawaiian waters. After military retirement he opened a yacht brokerage and served as Commander of the Ewa Beach Yacht Club.

His love of sailing was cumulated in crossing the Pacific from San Diego to Hawaii in their sail boat – Thisildu. He then pursued a career in management for Motorola Communications in Honolulu and then San Diego as VP of Sales and Service. After retiring the third time they moved to Arizona in 1989. They soon purchased a home in Estrella Mountain Ranch where they were one of the first occupants, on the lake for over 30 years. He volunteered his time at the yacht club teaching young & old how to sail and sponsored his grandson’s Goodyear Scouting Troop on a sailing and camping trip from Long Beach to Catalina Island. Richard and Eileen enjoyed RV traveling and spending summers in the cool White Mountains.

He will be interned at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, with full military honors, in Punchbowl Crater, 2177 Puowaina Dr, Honolulu Hawaii along with Eileen.

Family requests donations in lieu of flowers be made to St. Mary’s Food Bank, www.firstfoodbank.org, or Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Fund, www.cgmahq.org.