Roll Call Tribute

Edward Kent Dowden

November 1, 1956 - December 23, 2022

Edward Kent Dowden, known as "Kent” his whole life, was born in Beaumont, TX, to Robert Edward Dowden and Floy Jean Rairigh Dowden on November 1, 1956. His father worked for Phillips Petroleum, so growing up, he lived in several oil towns like Bartlesville, OK, Borger, TX, and Odessa, TX, where he graduated from Permian High School. He graduated from Texas A&M in College Station in 1979, much to the delight of his father, who was also an Aggie. Kent was an atheist, but during his senior year, a friend took him to a Christian Apologetics class. This changed his life, and he even took the class a second time because now he believed in God. Kent started attending church, and soon after heard one of his good friends share their plans to be a missionary in Papua New Guinea. As Kent saw the pictures and details, he asked how he could be a missionary too. They replied, "Well, you need to be a Christian first!" Kent accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior right then and was baptized later that evening. Within two months, he had quit his job and started attending a missionary training school. His plans to leave for Papua New Guinea were delayed slightly when he met Marinell Dortch. They married in August of 1981 and went overseas together.

They worked in the mission field for seven years, and had Corey and Ashley there. When they returned to the states, they had Samantha and Josh, and lived primarily in Wylie, TX. Kent would work for the next many years at a computer software company doing tech support and over the last thirteen years, he was self-employed in a variety of businesses. Kent used his skills as a handyman to help others. He was a jack-of-all-trades and used his skills to serve anyone and everyone that needed help. He will forever be remembered for his generosity and servant’s heart. Kent's greatest joy was his children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years: Marinell (Dortch) Dowden; four children: Corey Burge, Ashley Bonney, Samantha Feig, and Joshua Dowden; three sons-in-law: Daniel Burge, Kevin Bonney, and David Feig, and six much-loved grandchildren: Bethanna Burge, Asher Burge, Tommy Bonney, Parker Bonney, Eliza Feig, and Micah Feig. He also leaves many extended family members and friends.

Funeral services will be held 10:00am Monday, January 2, 2023, at Wylie Bible Church in Wylie, TX. Interment will follow in Lakeview Cemetery in Lavon, TX. A gathering of family and friends will take place from 3:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, January 1, 2023, at The Gathering at Rest Haven Funeral Home-Rockwall Location.