Shirley Kay McDowell

Shirley Kay McDowell went to be with the Lord on November 21, 2025, in The Villages, Florida. Since 1987, she and her loving husband, Paul, made The Villages their home while always carrying with them the deep roots they planted in Central Lake, Michigan. As the matriarch of her family, Shirley’s greatest pride and joy were her three sons - Dodd, Chance, and Colt. As the years passed, her family grew, and so did her love for the many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who followed.

Shirley began her career as a registered nurse, a role that cultivated the compassion she carried throughout her life. She later embraced many talents, becoming a designer, florist, and a natural in hospitality. Her keen eye, impeccable attention to detail, and appreciation for life’s finer touches were known to all who loved her.

The loss of her middle son, Chance Corey Owen McDowell, transformed her, but not in the way grief often does. Rather than becoming hardened, Shirley chose to pour deeper into her family. She invested herself wholeheartedly in her grandchildren, nurturing bonds that were truly special. While anyone who met Shirley could see she was a remarkable mother, it was her grandchildren who had the privilege of experiencing her as a confidante, encourager, and best friend.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, W.F Ham and Eva (Richards) Shiveline; her beloved husband, Paul McDowell; her sister, Linda Lockhart; her niece, Dhana Lockhart; and her son, Chance McDowell.

She is survived by her sister Judy (Bob) Hoopfer, sons Dodd (Jill) McDowell and Colt (Jessica) McDowell; her daughter-in-law, Raquel McDowell; and her grandchildren Brooks (Ashley) McDowell, Morgan (Kevin) Kennel, Riley Kay McDowell, Bella McDowell, and Taylor McDowell, all of The Villages, Florida. She leaves behind six great-grandchildren - Lee, Oaklee, Rhett, Kali, Westyn, and Knox - each of whom brought her tremendous joy.

No matter the path before you, Shirley was your loudest cheerleader, a name “Poppy” reserved proudly for his bride. She often reminisced about meeting him for the first time, recalling that he pushed her off a snowbank outside Adams Madams when she was just three years old. That memory remained a favorite family story, a reminder of the playful beginning to a lifelong partnership in which she became, steadfastly and unquestionably, the backbone of her family.

The family looks forward to joining loved ones in both Florida and Michigan to celebrate the incredible life she lived. A Celebration of Life is being planned for the near future and Funeral Services are being planned for Spring/Summer of 2026.

Arrangements are in the care of the Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign her online guestbook www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com.