Dow, Gladys Nora (Smith) 1901-2005

DOW, SMITH, HORN, MILLER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 9/5/2017 at 12:59:20

Afterlife
Orlando, FL

GLADYS NORA SMITH DOW, 104, of Orlando, Florida and formerly of Grinnell died August 13, 2005, at Life Care Center in Orlando. A memorial service for Mrs. Dow will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 14, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Inurnment will be in Hazelwood Cemetery.

Visitation with the family present will be held from 9:30 a.m. until service time Friday morning. Gladys was born July 21, 1901, in Wilton Junction, Iowa, to Thomas Jefferson and Catherine Lavine Horn Smith. She was raised and educated in Grinnell.

Her father owned the first car dealership in Grinnell and often sent Gladys out with customers to demonstrate the cars beginning at the age of 14. On July 21, 1921, she was married to Dr. Donald 'Doc' V. Dow, in Grinnell. The couple made their home on the corner of 6th Avenue and Park Street for many years and where her husband had his dental office in their home.

She and her husband spent many hours working in their flower garden and people driving on US Highway 6 stopped from all over the state to see their yard and chat. Dr. Dow died in 1964 and she continued to live in Grinnell until 1980 when she sold her home to Grinnell College and moved to Florida to be near her daughter. She lived in Florida a total of 25 years and was in good health until a few days before her death.

While in Grinnell she was a member of the United Church of Christ-Congregational, Order of Eastern Star, and Daughters of the American Revolution. Survivors include one daughter, Donna Jean Miller of Winter Springs, Florida; four grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; and ten great great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and one son, Harold Dwight.