By HDN Staff
Frank F. Dowen, 101, passed away Friday, Oct. 12, 2001, at a Havre care center of natural causes.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thursday in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Chinook, with burial following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery in Chinook.
Frank was born March 23, 1900, in Chinook to Rupert and Mildred (Watson) Dowen. He attended schools in Chinook and started working at the age of 16. Frank worked for Jack Ryan, taking care of horses and worked the dray service for Pat Maney. He also groomed horses for the U&I Sugar Factory under Bill Crabbe.
Frank filed a homestead south of Harlem in 1923 and sold the farm and ranch in 1965. He also worked for Guy Riggins in northern Blaine County for 27 years. From 1941 to 1943, he was in San Diego, Calif., where he worked on the B-24 Bomber, and from 1943 to 1953, he worked in the oil fields at Oilmont for E.B. Coolidge of Great Falls. From 1953 to 1970, he worked as the gardener for rogue Valley Memorial Hospital in Medford, Ore.
Frank married Carrie Olson in 1922. She died in 1960. He married Pearl Westerberg in 1962. She died in 1975. He married Maureen Harris in 1984 and she died in 1997. He lived in Eagles Manor since 1998.
Frank was known for his great catching ability on the Chinook baseball team.
He was a life member of the Chinook Eagles Aeries #689.
He was preceded in death by his parents, six brothers and four sisters.
Survivors include his son, W.P. "Bill" Dowen of Charissa, Minn.; brother, James Dowen of Havre; sister, Alta Mallon of Havre; three grandchildren; one great-grandchild.
Memorials may be sent to Shodair Children Hospital or the United Methodist Church.
Arrangements are by Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook.
