Eulogy
For
November 2, 2002
From the moment of our birth, we forever contribute to mankind. The contributions continue for centuries after our death. The ways we contribute include
Many of our major contributions to mankind occur long after we have left this life.
(references to grandfather – at age 7, fiddle story, and members in audience)
Today, we have gathered to say goodbye to a loved one, Reverend Milton Nathaniel Dowden. My father. We also are paying tribute to departure to the last living child of John Stephen and Leoria Dowden, all members of their family, including both ancestors and descendants.
As I say my goodbye, I want to share with you some of the significant contributions that Milton (Dad) has already provided. What contributions lie ahead, only God knows and our future will reveal.
During his lifetime of 88 years, Dad was a frontiersman, a farmer, a cowhand, a builder, a Baptist minister, the brother to 8 other siblings,
and most of all,
the husband to his wife, Eula Nell Underwood and the father to three children, grandfather to eight grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 7 step-great grandchildren. Dad’s descendents will continue to grow in number in the future centuries. Through them, he will continue to contribute. Some of these contributions have already impacted mankind around the world.
Dad was a man with a strong work ethic, strong moral code and excellent ability to get things done. Beginning at a very early age, he worked and hunted along side his parents and siblings in rough Big Thicket area known as the Bluewater community. Dad often talked about the precious times he spent with his father (my grandfather) until his father’s death when Dad was 18 years old.
Dad’s first trip outside of Polk County was in his early twenties to attend the wedding of his sister near Beaumont, Texas.
In 1937 Dad met Eula Underwood, his future wife at a Baptist revival service in Bluewater. The following year, Dad would write a letter to Mother (now in New Mexico) and ask her to marry him. Her response was Yes.
Dad was able to catch a ride with Mother’s brother (Auron) and wife to New Mexico where Mother’s father was running a sawmill near Hollywood, not far from Ruidoso, New Mexico.
Dad and Mother were married on July 5th, 1938. Dad’s natural curiosity combined with Mother’s hardiness and love of travel started them on a life of adventure that began their wedding night. Three weeks later they headed back to Bluewater. With a combination of hitchhiking and hobo’ing, a week later they arrived in Bluewater.
In 1939 Dad built a two-room log cabin on the Dowden family property where their first child was born (Melvin).
In 1941 Dad and Mother traveled to Oregon. Dad worked with Mother’s family in the logging industry near Klamath Falls where their second child (Lee Oria) was born.
They moved back to Port Neches, Texas where Dad worked on construction of new rubber plant and other chemical industry facilities in support of the war effort.
In 1944 Dad and Mother were in Washington where Dad worked on construction of new weapons plant and they lived with their two children in a small cabin with dirt floor.
Later that year, they returned to Nederland, Texas where their third child (Floretta) was born.
Dad, Mother and family moved back to Livingston, Texas in 1946 and returned to Nederland in 1947. For the next seven years, until summer of 1954, Dad continued in construction business (member of Carpenter’s Union) and gained recognition as a highly skilled carpenter.
(reference to blueprints, Dad designing a new method of building house, Dad pre-cutting complex roofing timbers, marking them and then moving on to next building site)
In 1984 at the age of 40, Dad and family began a new adventure and phase of their life as Dad attended Texas Bible Institute in Henderson, Texas. During this period Dad also served as pastor of a Missionary Baptist Church near Hughes Springs, Texas.
After completion of four years education in Baptist ministry, Dad and family moved to Athens in 1958. During his active ministry Dad would serve as pastor at several churches in East Texas including Missionary Baptist Church here in Livingston from 1960 to 1965.
One by one, the children would leave the nest. First Melvin, then Lee and finally Floretta. Lee and Floretta married and provided Dad and Mother with 8 grandchildren. Melvin continued the family adventure.
Dad continued to supplement his income from church with carpentry including building new parsonage and churches during this period. Dad remained active as a carpenter and cabinet builder past the age of 75.
(reference – fell off roof in driving rain at age 75 and broke his arm)
In 1968, Dad and Mother purchased and moved into their own home at 1124 Templecliff, Dallas, Texas.
The travelers had finally found a home after 30 years of adventures.
Today we will lay to rest my father along side my mother who died in 1974.
In tribute, let me briefly describe some of the contributions Dad and Mother have provided.
As I first mentioned, our influence and contributions to mankind begin when we are born and continue for centuries after our death.
(reference to changing diapers)
Back to Dad’s contributions:
Some of other contributions made directly by Dad during his lifetime include
Dad’s contributions include those of his children and their children. Dad and Mother provided guidance, spiritual leadership, ethics to live by, and moral codes of conduct that will be passed on to our descendants.
Through Dad and Mother’s descendants, their contributions include
Today as we say goodbye to our loved one, let us continue to sit at the feet of his spiritual being, including the feet of his father, John Steven and his brothers and sisters. Let us continue to learn from their lessons and share with those around us.
May our contributions to the future extend and expand what they have accomplished and work towards a healthier and stronger spiritual world where mankind can live and work in harmony for the constant improvement in health, comfort of living and enjoyment of the riches of God’s creations.
Thank You. God bless you and your adventure through this life.