Wilton Clinton "Bill" Dowda

Wilton Clinton “Bill” Dowda, our beloved husband and father, known to all as Bill, left us to join his maker on September 9, 2024. We are saddened to have lost him but rejoice in the many memories he left us.

A native of Clinton, TN, Bill, 83, was a student at Clinton High School when the school was bombed due to desegregation. This crime was never solved. After high school graduation, Bill served in the U.S. Navy, seeing California and much of Europe. Bill served aboard the U.S.S. Flagship, Taconic from 1959 – 1963, with the majority of his career spent traveling the Mediterranean Sea.

Losing his sight due to glaucoma in 1998, Bill was a trooper. For years many did not know of his disability as he carried on with life as his vision diminished. Bill served as a scout master of The Boy Scout Troop #258 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Blountville. One of his crowning accomplishments was chaperoning a group on an afoot/afloat 5-day trip to a wilderness camp in Canada.

His other interests included reading books from the library for the blind, especially Zane Gray westerns; working at the food pantry at the Colonial Heights Christian Church; listening to news and criminal shows on TV. Bill was always ready to tell a story. He never met a stranger.

Bill was preceded in death by his sister, Pam Cobble.

Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Kathy Dowda; children, Clinton and Alyson Dowda, Lars and Jenie Dowda, Sarah and Daniel Sexton; six grandchildren, Lincoln, Patrick, Abby, Wyatt, Jackson and Ember; sister, Mary Lou Roland; nephews, Daniel Cobble and Lee Roland; and his church family at Colonial Heights Christian Church.

The family will receive friends from 9:00 am to 10:30 am on Friday, September 13, 2024 at Colonial Heights Christian Church. The funeral services will follow at 10:45 am with Minister David Mullins officiating.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday at Mountain Home National Cemetery. Military Rites will be conducted by American Legion Posts 3/265.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Colonial Heights Christian Church Food Pantry, 105 Meadow Lane, Kingsport, TN 37663, Fit and Clean Meals, 3211 N. Roan St., Johnson City, TN 37601 or Smokey Mountain Hospice, 106 Ferrell Ave., Suite 1, Kingsport, TN 37663.