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Carol McDowell
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Volunteer and activist McDowell dies at 65
By Jeff Kearns
Longtime resident Carol McDowell, who spent almost half of her life as a community activist in Cupertino, died last week at age 65.
McDowell died at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View on Jan. 24 of complications from an infection. A well-known volunteer for more than 20 years with Cupertino Community Services (CCS), McDowell also was active with local schools, the Chamber of Commerce and behind the scenes in local politics. She served as a member of the city's Community Development Block Grant committee 20 years ago and most recently with the CCS advisory board.
"It was quite a surprise to everybody that she died," said Bud McDowell, her husband of 45 years.
When she wasn't volunteering, McDowell said his wife usually was gardening or cooking something for someone. Carol McDowell was known to cook for fund raisers, co-workers, sick friends, even weddings.
"She preferred to work in the background, and she always did whatever needed doing," Bud McDowell said. "She would donate money, furniture, or whatever we had around to help the less fortunate."
Born Dec. 13, 1934, in Luverne, Minnesota, McDowell grew up the eldest of four children in a farming family. It was in Luverne that she met Bud, whom she started dating after he returned from a stint in the Air Force. They were married less than a year later.
After Bud finished college in Minnesota, the young couple embarked on a series of moves dictated by Bud's jobs in the computer programming field. Before a company transfer moved the family to Cupertino in 1969, the McDowells already had lived in Minneapolis, Santa Monica, Tacoma, Wash., and Lexington, Mass.
Shirley Giarretto, who first became friends with Carol when their children attended then-new Monta Vista High School together in the early '70s, remembered McDowell as an active parent who kept close tabs on the school board. McDowell also insisted on cooking for the weddings of two of Giarretto's children.
"She's always been a big player, lots of times behind the scenes, and she'll be missed by many people because she was so well known," Giarretto said. "I do remember Carol's caring for people who needed attention. She kept in touch with her older friends almost every day to make sure they got up okay and were doing okay. She'd give a friendly call to bring a little cheer and let them know they weren't alone.
"We talked every day, and even just a couple days before she died she called me to say they needed sheets over there [at CCS]," Giarretto added.
McDowell underwent a hip replacement three years ago that made it tough to get around, but took up her fundraising and volunteer efforts by phone instead of giving up. To her many friends and connections around town, she was known as a tireless fund-raiser who could accomplish almost anything with a few phone calls.
"She always had ideas about how to raise money for CCS, and she was always looking out for it," CCS Executive Director Mary Ellen Chell said. "She went to the homeless shelters in town every month without fail and she'd bring meals there with Bud. She really believed in the CCS programs and she was always helping out."
In addition to volunteering, Chell said McDowell also made sure the other volunteers and staffers at the community center were kept well-fed with fresh cookies. "That was something really special about her," she said.
Longtime friend Dennis Whittaker also remembered McDowell fondly.
"If anyone was sick, she'd be the first one there with food," Whittaker said. "She [had] a huge, caring heart. She felt so strongly about helping people in need that, one time, she was in excruciating pain because of health problems, and she would still be at the annual CCS barbecue chopping vegetables.
"She made it a point to know everyone there was to know so that the people in need could have more than they did," he said. "She wanted to enhance their lives and she did whatever she could to do that, making contact with city employees, politicians, whoever."
McDowell also was active in local politics. In addition to offering her own garage as a voting place on Election Day, she also worked to help elect several City Council members who served during the '70s and '80s, including Barbara Rogers, John Gatto, Barbara Koppel and Reed Sparks.
McDowell is survived by Bud, her husband, and four sons: Scott, 43, of San Jose; Webb, 41, of Palos Verdes, Los Angeles County; Gregg, 40, of Englewood, Fla.; and Todd, 38, of Cupertino.
A memorial service is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24 at the Quinlan Center, 10185 N. Stelling Road.
In lieu of flowers, McDowell's family asks that donations be made to CCS in her name.
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Cupertino, California Since 1947
