Shirley Dowdy Plunket passed from this life on March 15, 2016, at the age of 90. She was born to Earl Mason and Dora Stack Mason on Sept. 23, 1925, in Denver, Colorado. Her early life was spent in Idledale, a small village in the mountains of Colorado, graduating from Bear Creek High School. In 1943, she met and married a young airman, Jim Dowdy, from Florence, Alabama who was stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Denver.
They soon moved their young family to Huntsville, Alabama where Jim worked for NASA. While caring for her family Shirley started a catering business through which she provided beautiful wedding cakes for many couples. After Jim’s death, she became a grief counselor blessing the lives of many. She continued this vocation when she moved to Florence, Alabama.
Shirley married Lamar Plunket in 1999 and was happy to enlarge her family and circle of friends. After a catastrophic illness, Shirley moved to Mitchell Hollingsworth Nursing Home where she lived for 12 years. In her early years there she was known for her encouraging words to the other residents and for crocheting afghans for them as well as for family members. With her books and her music she was quite content. She was an optimistic, generous person who loved her family and friends.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Dora Mason; by an infant son; by her husband, Jim Dowdy; and her second husband, Lamar Plunket.
She is survived by her three children, Jim Dowdy Jr. (Rachel), Dorlea Rikard (Glenn), and Ken Dowdy (Beverly); six grandchildren, Kieran Dowdy (Julie), Gabriel Rikard, Meagan Rikard Haney (Jason), Kiley Rikard, Chris Dowdy (Lauren), and Trevor Dowdy; two great-grandchildren, Silas Dowdy and Nora Dowdy; special sons-in-love, Ken Hensley and Dudley Clark; stepchildren, Trudie Plunket, Bonnie Barnett (John), Rodney Plunket (Margaret), and Joe Plunket (Debbie); and stepgrandchildren, Justin Barnett (Lynn), Kenyon Barnett (Melissa), Callie Plunket-Brewton (Vince), and Chad Plunket.
The family wishes to thank Dr. John Bartmess and the staff at Mitchell-Hollingsworth Nursing Home of Florence for their care of Shirley. Thanks also to all the family and friends whose visits lightened the load of her long years in bed.
The family will receive visitors at Valhalla Funeral Home in Huntsville on Saturday, March 19, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a service following in the chapel at 11 a.m. There will also be a memorial service at Magnolia Church of Christ in Florence on Sunday, March 20, at 2 p.m. Please sign the guest registry at valhallafunerals.com.
