Diana C. (Elder) McDowell

Diana C. (Elder) McDowell, Omaha, NE, was born in Hornick, Iowa, January 4, 1934. She suffered a brain aneurysm January 2, 2013, and died peacefully in Mesa, AZ, February 3, 2013.

Diana was the oldest of four children born to Earl and Sybil Fitzgerald. She played basketball and was an outstanding vocalist at Hornick High School. She also worked at the bowling alley and grocery store, where she was thrilled to make $.12 cents per hour, until her dad intervened and said she was worth at least $.20 cents per hour.

She graduated from Drake University, where she excelled as a vocalist as a member of the Drake Choir, and also belonged to Delta Gamma Sorority. She met her husband, Al Elder, while a student at Drake, and they married in 1954.

Diana taught second grade in Marshalltown before starting her family by giving birth to four girls.

She worked at and enjoyed her jobs at United Federal Savings Bank, St. Paul Insurance Company, Farmers Casualty Insurance Company, Brodericks, and Earl May.

In 2006, her first love from Drake, Jim McDowell, reentered her life, and swept her off her feet. They married in October 2008, at which time she moved to Omaha, NE. They enjoyed traveling the country, as well as cruises and trips to Europe, and spent the winter months at their home in Mesa, AZ.

Diana loved her family and friends, the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Cubs, gardening, and in her later years, shopping. She was always an extremely hard worker and was a gentle, kind, and gracious woman. She never met anyone she could not find something positive about and never had a negative word to say about anyone.

Diana was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Sybil Fitzgerald, and her husband, Al Elder.

She is survived by her husband, Jim McDowell, Omaha, NE; daughters, Julie Elder, West Des Moines, Jodi Ollerich (Don Cato), Urbandale, Liz James (Tony), Ankeny, and Amy Elder (Todd Tonelli), Booneville; grandsons, D.J. Frunzar (Jessica), West Des Moines, Tyler Ollerich, Clive, and Zac Ollerich (Alex McBride), Clive; and great-granddaughter Avah Ollerich; in addition to stepdaughters, Julie Strickland (Mark), Leawood, KS, and Lori Turner (Chris), Omaha, NE; sisters Patricia Aldrich, Onawa, IA, and Deborah Fitzgerald-Sealine (Eric), Arlington, MA, brother Michael Fitzgerald, Jacksonville, FL, and eleven nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Saturday, February 9, 2013, at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, IA, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., with a service at 2:00 p.m. followed by a Celebration of Life gathering at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Habitat for Humanity or the Des Moines Area Food Pantry.

Diana’s body has been donated to the Research for Life in Phoenix, AZ.

Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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