George Coleman Dowell, Jr. Obituary (1951 - 2020)

The funny, courageous, Sonny Dowell, lost his two-year battle with cancer, at home, on August 12, 2020, just a few days shy of his 69th birthday. Born George Coleman Dowell Jr. on August 25, 1951, he grew up in Culpeper, Virginia, playing "Cowboys and Indians," - the start of a lifelong obsession with old TV Westerns. In high school he competed in track, basketball, and his favorite, baseball. After college, Sonny worked as a computer technician for 20+ years and eventually retired from Pitney Bowes after delivering campus mail at George Mason University. A huge history buff, Sonny was especially knowledgeable about the Civil War and the Alamo. He treasured books, often reading several at one time. He was good at crossword puzzles and he loved watching Jeopardy in the evenings, typically with a glass of bourbon in hand. Sonny was an avid Elvis fan and collector, but his love of music covered many genres from Motown and Country, to Blues and Rock n Roll. He was a whiz with music trivia and enjoyed sharing his favorite YouTube videos with Facebook friends. Family was everything to Sonny - and time spent with them made him happiest, especially at Christmas. Known for his easy-going personality, Sonny was a man of few words with quiet determination, patience, and a gentle spirit. With a twinkle in his eye he could surprise you with his spot-on sense of humor or melt your heart with his infectious smile. Sonny is preceded in death, by his parents, George Coleman Dowell, Sr., and Julia Corder. He is survived by his wife, Cindy "Ceen" Quick; children Brad (Jen) Dowell and Lisa (Tony) Nicholson, their mom, Bernice (Chip) Utz; five grandchildren, Mya, Riley, Mason, Kieran and Marin; brothers David (Rae) Pilgrim, and Mike (Alice) Dowell, and cousin, Bobby Corder, along with family and friends too numerous to list but not forgotten. A private interment will be held October 19, 2020 at Cool Spring Cemetery in Berryville, Virginia. A Celebration of Life event is planned for a future date.