Lana Joyce McDowell

1956 - 2013

Lana Joyce McDowell obituary, 1956-2013

BORN

1956

DIED

2013

Lana McDowell Obituary

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Lana Joyce McDowell passed away on June 23, 2013, in Albuquerque, N.M.

Lana was born to J.A. McDowell and Lola McDowell in Denver City, TX, on December 18, 1956. She graduated from Permian high School, attended Odessa College, where she was an award-winning debater, and then graduated from Southwest Texas University in San Marcos, TX. Lana taught history and geography in the Pecos, TX schools for seven years before she moved to Albuquerque to teach at Los Lunas Middle School in Los Lunas, NM. Lana had recently retired from teaching in October of 2012 after twenty-one years of service.

Lana loved to read and to watch movies. She loved cats and rescued many over the years. Lana was an avid hiker and camper. She especially enjoyed camping in the Pecos Wilderness near Santa Fe, NM, and hiking on the Sandia Mountain trails in northeast Albuquerque.

Lana is survived by Dwane McDowell and his wife Lanice of Crawford, TX; Jim McDowell and his wife Glenda of Pagosa Springs, CO; Nona Compton and her husband Bobby of Odessa, TX; Ora Keetley and her husband Dave of Round top, TX; Sue Pool and her husband Richard of Andrews, TX. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Lana was predeceased by both her parents and brother, Loyd Glen.

Lana's family and friends are invited to send contributions in her memory to: PAWS, a cat rescue group in Odessa, TX, or to the American Diabetes Association.

Published by Odessa American on Jul. 2, 2013.
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5 Entries

Lana and I taught together at LLMS. I loved listening to her social studies lessons and learned so much from her. She and I would take a day in the spring to go hiking the Duran Mountain in Duran, NM. We loved just sitting and listening to the wind blow through the pine trees. I am so sorry for your loss. She was a beautiful person both inside and out.

Donna Hinders

August 18, 2013

laura headlee-nunez

July 2, 2013

I remember Lana when we were at Permian together. We always had a great time in English.

Jim Wier

July 2, 2013

Sending prayers of strength and peace for the family and friends of a fellow cat lover/rescuer. From the residents of PAWS Cat Rescue Haven House.

Vickie Lee

July 2, 2013

I could not believe my eyes a few minutes ago when looking at the obituaries & Lana's name popped up. I thought that there must be 2 Lana McDowell's born in 1956. I am so sad at this news. Lana & I were great friends 7th, 8th & 9th grades at Hood Jr. High. We were in speech class together. We loved to be paired up for a skit or a pantomime, but especially DEBATE! We loved to work together because we hated to have to go against the other one! We were in all of the plays through those 3 years, often trying out for the same roll, but always happy when we BOTH got a roll. I moved away from Odessa shortly after starting at Permian & we lost touch. But I never forgot her & I always hoped that I would find her again. I can't say how amazing she was in those often tough & sometimes intimidating speech classes, but we both LOVED it & it was easy to see it was our passion. We were both hams, never turning down an opportunity to "perform" Lana had such a beautiful, carefree spirit- she was so amazing to watch. I was one of her biggest fans. I had so much fun with her & always admired her talent & the ease with which she captured a room full of adolescents attention & kept them spell bound for the duration of her performance- whatever she was doing. I am so very sorry for her family & the loss they are enduring. I somehow imagine that she never lost her spirit or her obvious love of life...a brilliant light has gone out & there is now one more bright & shining star in the night sky. Please accept my heartfelt sympathy for your loss.
Sincerely, Tammy (McIntyre) Sauer
([email protected])

Tammy McIntyre Sauer

July 2, 2013

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