The Dowdie News Gazette Volume 1, Issue 3
January, 2011
Happy New Year Dowdie Family! 184 days to our Historical Family Event.
We are now in 2011 and time to begin the countdown… It is registered? If not, please be sure to do so by February 15 t h .
Will you be there? Have you
Some of the family that I have met along my journey… During the past year, I have had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of numerous new family members. I joined Facebook in February 2009 and it has been a great tool in finding and connecting with Dowdies, worldwide. If you are on Facebook, become a member of the DOWDIE FAMILY Group. Connecting with family that I was not familiar with, via Facebook, was a little challenging because at first I had to think of a strategic way to make connections without seeming like a stalker. I sent numerous messages to various family members to introduce myself and inquire about their familial background. One of the first connections I made was with the family of the late Leonard Dowdie. My first message was sent to Julia Dowdie who I learned was the wife of Delano “Dean” Dowdie Jr. Dean and I communicated briefly and he informed me that his grandfather was Leonard Dowdie and that Leonard was able to celebrate his 100th birthday in November 2008. Dean advised me to contact his cousin, Shanice Young, who created their family tree. He also referred me to his father Delano “Dicky” Dowdie, Sr., who contacted me in late February 2009. In his message to me, Dicky indicated, “all I know about my Dowdie connection is that my Grandfather was Vecas Dowdie from St Elizabeth (Elderslie or Jointwood).” With the exception of his
father, he was only familiar with Dowdies that he met while attending St. Elizabeth Technical High School (ST.E.T.H.S), in Jamaica, however, they did not inquire about a possible family connection. He was pretty sure there was a family tie and seemed as excited I as I did, to learn what it was. I contacted Shanice in May 2009 and she provided me with the family tree she created (for her immediate family) and I was able to incorporate it into my ever-growing Dowdie family forest, (the family is so huge our roots can no longer be limited to a family tree, but now it’s a family forest). I was ready to start meeting my extended family and in June 2009 mom and I were able to visit with Shanice who lived in New York at the time and her mother, Judy Dowdie, who was visiting from Florida. After the introductions and formalities mom and Judy began to reminisce about their childhood and upbringing and shared similar stories and experiences. As the conversation grew, mom and Judy discovered that they both enjoyed sleep as their favorite past time. It seems
dropsy may be a family trait, along with the Dowdie facial moles. Our visit with Judy and Shanice was short but sweet and an instant bond was formed. Leonard Dowdie passed away in August 2009 and I regretted that I was unable to attend the funeral however Uncle Ephraim Schofield Dowdie attended on my behalf. In September, Judy phoned to let me know she was able to locate the marriage certificate of her parents. She was pleased to report that the marriage certificate reflected that David Dowdie was Leonard’s father and not Vecas. This revelation instantly changed the dynamic of our relationship because the cousins who we thought were distant, were now in fact, close relatives. The reality was Dicky and Judy were now first cousins to my mother instead of third, as we initially believed. We have been blessed to have the opportunity to pray, celebrate, laugh and travel together; we have formed a true family bond, over the past year. This makes me excited and anxious as I look forward to the family reunion.
Family Introductions/Road Trips… In October 2009, I was finally able to meet Dicky, in person, who I discovered was only a 15 minute drive from my house, small world when apart of such a gigantic family such as ours. Soon after meeting Dicky, I invited him to accompany me to New Jersey so that he could meet some of my immediate family (my mother: Dassy Herbert, née Dowdie, sister: Allison Cardoza, niece: Alleena Porter, uncles: Lincoln Dowdie, Sr. John Dowdie, Sr., and cousins: Gifford Roache, Gloria “Precious” Bernard, Rhona Ellis, née Roache). It brought me joy to see the older cousins meet for the first time and say “yuh a Dowdie fi true”.
2011 Family Reunion Newsletter
Page 1
Published: 1/18/2011
" Some family trees have beautiful leaves, and some have just a bunch of nuts. Remember, it is the nuts that make the tree worth shaking." -Author Unknown-