Longtime Sandy resident Iris Dowell passed away peacefully January 10, 2025, in Gresham. Iris was 77 days from her 100th birthday! She was born on April 1, 1925, in Fairview, Oregon.
She was the youngest daughter of John and Rose Burlingame. Iris’s siblings were James (Bud) Burlingame and Fern Burlingame both deceased. She is survived by three of her four daughters Daylene Gourde (Paul), LaVonne Moe (Frank), Vicki Palmer (Jim) and Robyn Dowell who passed away on June 1, 2024, 7 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, 11 great great grandchildren.
Iris grew up in Fairview and attended Fairview Grade and Gresham High School.
She met her soon-to-be husband, Dale Dowell, in July 1942 and married December 24, 1943. Dale was drafted into the Army in November 1942 and was captured in Italy on October 10, 1944. It was a very hard time for her because by this time Iris had their first daughter.
Dale was finally released and home by the end of the war May 1945.
In 1946 they built their first home in Fairview where they lived until 1960 when they moved the family to the farm in Sandy, Oregon.
On the farm they raised their daughters and grew raspberries, worms, cattle amongst many other animals and crops. Iris loved farm life and always planted a garden. She also loved her grandchildren. They loved coming to the farm where there was always something exciting happening.
Her husband, Dale died in 2004.
Iris stayed on the farm until 2019 when she moved to Avemere/Cascadia in Sandy where she lived until she died.
Iris had a full, loving life and devoted her life to her husband, children, many longtime friends and her church family.
Services will be held at the Sandy Funeral Home on January 24, 2025, at 11 am.