LeRoy 'Mac' Edward McDowell, 78

LeRoy "Mac" Edward McDowell, 78, passed away Tuesday, April 1, 2008, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Mac was born March 19, 1930, in Whitefish to Jim and Irene (Walker) McDowell.

He was raised in the Flathead Valley, where he graduated from Flathead County High School and attended Flathead Valley Community College. When Mac was 15 years old, he worked with his dad in the sawmill driving a tie truck. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps when he was 16 and served four years.

After the Army Air Corps, Mac went back to work for his father driving a truck, and operating a Caterpillar, then he enlisted in the Montana National Guard. Mac also worked on the Grand Coulee Dam for one year, operating a jackhammer.

He did logging jobs and numerous part-time jobs such as working at a service station, delivering appliances for Gambles, bartending, loading switch ties, and pounding tie C-Iron.

He was hired by the Police Department, where he worked his way up to the chief of police. After retiring from the Police Department, he ran for mayor, and was elected to office, where he served from 1982 to 1986.

He retired from the National Guard, with 40 years of service, as command sergeant major. He was also part owner of the first escort service in Kalispell with Ron Dupuy, which is now called Eagle Security.

He was a man of many talents and interests. He was a member of the Moose Lodge, Elks Lodge, and the Eagles Club, where he served as president and also as a trustee for eight years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing golf, traveling and taking care of others, which was a priority with him.

Mac became a Christian in 1973, and attended the Kalispell Church of Christ.

Mac married Wanda (Landa) White on July 21, 1973, in Kalispell.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Irene McDowell; stepparents, Wayne McDowell and Buster (Ed) Fordham; and three brothers, Charles Fordham, Marvin McDowell and Carmen McDowell.

He is survived by his wife, Wanda McDowell; children, Sherry Stewart and fiance, Mark Lamoreaux, Charles McDowell and fiancee, Katherine Eaton, Christy Doty and husband, Steve, Debra Haegele and husband, Steve, Belinda Doty and husband, Don, and Paul Jackson; grandchildren, Billy Salmonsen, Michelle Morris, Justin Sherman, Ryan Suarez, Brittney Doty, LeRoy Gene Doty, Adam Haegele, Jennifer Cline, Nicholas Weaver, Chauncey Doty and Layla Hall; and great-grandchildren, Tucker, Tanner and Tori Salmonsen, Jacob and Dylan Morris, Jordan Cline, Samantha Weaver and Lexia McDowell.

Visitation will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. today, April 4, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. A celebration of Mac's life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 5, at Easthaven Baptist Church. Interment will take place at Glacier Memorial Gardens, with the Army National Guard doing military honors. A reception will he held at the Eagles Club basement after the graveside services.

Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.

This paid obituary is being run again at the request of the family.