Obituary of Jason L. Dowdy

Jason L. Dowdy Watertown, NY-- First Lieutenant Jason L. Dowdy, serving with the US Army at Fort Drum, NY died Friday (June 18, 2004) at the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Born August 4, 1971 in Pittsburgh, PA he was the son of James and Veronica Martin Dowdy. On June 7, 1997 at St. John’s Church in Olean, NY he married Gretchen L. Witzigman, the daughter of Norbert and Ramona Witzigman of Hinsdale, NY. Mr. Dowdy was raised in the Pittsburgh, PA area and had received a bachelor’s degree in business. In 2000 he enlisted in the US Army and was stationed in Korea and Ft. Bliss, TX. He then served as a first lieutenant with the Tenth Mountain Division where he recently completed a nine month tour of duty in Afghanistan, returning to his home in Watertown in May. He was active in health and fitness, especially body building, and he enjoyed motorcycling and sports of all kinds. He especially loved spending time with his family. Surviving besides his wife are his two sons Nicholai and Joshua; his mother of Pittsburgh; his father of Pittsburgh; his maternal grandmother Elizabeth Calhoun of Pittsburgh; one brother Leon (Barbara) Dowdy of Pittsburgh and several nieces and nephews. Friends will be received on Wednesday (June 23, 2004) from 5 until 8pm in the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home 3128 W. State Rd. Olean. Funeral services will follow at 8pm in the funeral home with Msgr. William Wangler, pastor of St. John’s Church in Olean, officiating. Burial with full military honors by the honor guard at Ft. Drum will take place Thursday (June 24, 2004) at 2pm in St. Mary’s Cemetery in West Leyden, NY. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to a fund being established for the benefit of Nicholai and Joshua, C/O Gretchen Dowdy 1815 Olmsted Dr. Apt 227C Watertown, NY 13601 or to the Fisher House Foundation, Inc. 1401 Rockville Pike Sweet 600 Rockville, MD 20852.