Wayne E. Mcdowell

Wayne E. McDowell, of Bluffton, South Carolina, passed away on April 30, 2025, at Coastal Carolina Hospital, Hardeeville, SC surrounded by his loving family. He was born to Thomas and Lela McDowell on November 16, 1938, at home in Derby, Ohio.  He was raised in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and attended Pine Run grades 1 – 8 in Dora, PA and attended Punxsutawney High School.  He played football for the Punxsutawney Chucks and ran the 440 yards dash on the track team.  He loved sports and continued to be an avid football fan.

After graduating from high school in 1956, Wayne was admitted to Clarion State College, majoring in social studies.   After one year he decided to join the Navy for 4 years where he was part of the commissioning crew of the USS Kitty Hawk Aircraft Carrier, working on the flight deck as a catapult crew member.   For the past 65 years he told his friends that he regretted not making the Navy his career as he enjoyed the work and the travel experiences.

Wayne worked as an insurance salesman, car salesman, owned a package store and a lawn service business.  After living in Pennsylvania, he moved to Connecticut and later moved to Florida.  In 2008 Wayne and his wife Doris moved to Sun City, Bluffton, South Carolina.

He is preceded in death by his parents Thomas and Lela (Crosson) McDowell.  He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Doris (Mannello) McDowell, his daughter, Sandra Jenkins (husband Gordon), his grandchildren, Sarah & Erica, his brother Earl (wife Carlene), his son Rodney (wife Vicki), and daughter Tari Nelson (husband Dennis).

Wayne loved putting together puzzles, word search and watching football (any team with Tom Brady) & watching the Yankees.     He could tell a good story and loved meeting new people.  He will be missed by all that love him.

Burial will be Monday, May 12, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Beaufort National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Wayne’s honor to Tunnel of Towers or Wounded Warriers Project.

Wounded Warrior Project
7020 A.C. Skinner Parkway, Suite 100, Jacksonville FL 32256
Tel: 1-877-832-6997
Web: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Default.aspx?tsid=10043

Tunnel to Towers
Web: http://www.tunnel2towers.org