Patsy Joan Dowd

At Our Alberding-Wilson Funeral Home, Harvard Location Harvard resident, Patsy Joan Dowd, 77, died Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at the Harvard Rest Haven. Services will be Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 2 PM at Hastings Funeral Home in Jefferson, Iowa. Burial will be at the Cooper Cemetery in Cooper, Iowa. Book signing will be Friday, September 11, 2008 at the Hastings Funeral Home, Jefferson, Iowa from 6:30 PM to 8 PM. Alberding-Wilson Funeral Home in Harvard, NE was in charge of the local arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.brandwilson.com. Patsy was born May 5, 1931 in Greenbrier Township in Iowa, to Claude Ray and Mary Elizabeth (Miller) Stofer. She graduated from Cooper High School in Iowa where she was very active in basketball. After graduation she was united in marriage with Joy Robert Dowd in Jefferson, Iowa where they made their home. To this union four children were born, Larry, Rodney, Shelly and Michelle. Patsy was a loving and devoted mother, homemaker and chief cook and bottle washer. Once her children were in school all day, she worked as a line seamstress at American Athletic sewing trampoline and tumbling mats. In 1971 Patsy and the girls moved to Giltner, NE. She was employed at the ammunition depot in Grand Island, NE. She later moved to Harvard, where she tended bar at the Char-Bar. And later, was employed by Dutton-Lainson Company in Hastings, NE as a brazier. She retired at the age of 62 and lived in her own home until her health required her to move to the Harvard Rest Haven, Harvard, NE. She is survived by her children, Larry Dowd of Jefferson, IA, Rodney Dowd and wife, Teresa of Perry, Iowa, Shelly Gentes and husband Mike of Harvard, NE, and Michelle Senstock and husband Tracy of Lincoln, NE and eight grandchildren, Aaron Dowd, of Santa Barbara, CA, Michael Dowd of Jefferson, Iowa, Jenna Weber and husband Matthew of Algona, Iowa, Jamie Dowd of Ankeny, Iowa, Matthew Senstock and Bradley Senstock of Lincoln, NE, Shelby Gentes and Zacharry Gentes of Harvard, NE and two great grandchildren, Lucas and Kalee Weber of Algona, Iowa. Two sisters, Arliss, Mrs. Kenneth Buttler and Mary Hughes both of Guthrie Center, Iowa and one brother Dutch Stofer and wife Mary of Oelwein, Iowa and other relatives and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, Ron, Mike Kenneth, Harold (Pete) and Don Stofer, one sister, Thelma Guess and one granddaughter, Jennifer Dowd.