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OBITUARIES
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| Gertrude O'Dowd January 09, 1923 - September 30, 2023 |
Gertrude Jones O’Dowd was born on January 9, 1923, in Kinston, NC, the youngest daughter of a prominent NC lawyer and a civic-activist mother. Her birth name was very formal, ill-suited for someone so gregarious and outgoing. It was no surprise that when Gertrude left home to attend Salem Academy and Stratford College, she became fondly known as Gertie--a fun-loving nickname befitting someone whose beauty shone through her smile, her optimism, and her joyful spirit.
Throughout her life, Gertie loved sports of any kind. She played field hockey in high school and was the captain of her college basketball team. She loved all types of dancing, even learning to hula while stationed in Hawaii with her husband Richard, a career Marine, and two of their children, Michael, and Deborah. She played a weekly game of tennis with a large group of friends and had a mean backstroke. She swam regularly and loved riding the waves at the beach with her grandchildren well into her 80’s. When arthritis limited her playing ability, she became a devotee of televised sports. Every sport was worthy of viewing, from college basketball and tennis to Nascar racing and boxing. She might have missed playing the sports, but she continued to cheer on the players.
Along with her passion for sports, Gertie loved to play card and board games. She learned bridge as a child because her parents needed a fourth person at the table. Her photographic memory made her a card shark like no other and she constantly won high scores at her monthly bridge parties. She also loved Scrabble, Yahtzee, and jigsaw puzzles, passing on this love to her youngest daughter Shawn, her daughter-in-law Judy, her son-in-law Dave, and her grandchildren, Flannery, Aldon, Griffin, Bridget, Riley, and Kyra.
Gertie also had a passion for cooking. She was taught all the southern delicacies by her childhood cook Viola -- from chicken pie and watermelon pickles to fried chicken and biscuits. There was always something sweet to nibble on in the kitchen, and her banana bread was legendary. Her repertoire expanded when she and Richard were stationed in Beijing, China and Gertie discovered Chinese cuisine. She taught her family to make gyozas, which Gertie humorously called “jowsers”, and many laughs were shared while preparing the small dumplings and slurping them up with chop sticks afterwards
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But Gertie will be remembered most for her kindness, her generosity, and her empathy towards others. She was an active member of Home Moravian Church, endlessly making beeswax candles, serving countless sweet buns and mugs of coffee at love feasts, and volunteering yearly for the Candle Tea, always colorfully clad in one of her handsewn dresses. She supported numerous charities and helped people with both her time and her counsel.
Gertie inspired us all with her infectious spirit, her easy laugh, and her ability to make everyone feel welcomed and loved. She died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the age of 100. Gertie O’Dowd truly lived her life to its fullest and we are all better for having loved and been loved by her.
A Memorial Service will be held privately for the family and close friends. Donations can be made in Gertie’s memory to Piedmont Crossing, 100 Hedrick Drive, Thomasville, NC 27360 or Home Moravian Church, 529 S. Church Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.
To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Gertrude O'Dowd, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
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