51°
Better known as Kate or "Miss Kate," Dowling was born Sept. 18, 1952, in Westfield, Mass., to Mary Lacey and the late Lawrence Lacey. She graduated from Albertus Magnus College, where she majored in art.
In 1987, she retired from her career as an editor at IBM to raise her sons. She most recently worked at St. Luke's Nursery School in Darien. She was married to Patrick Henry Dowling, who survives her.
A 30-year resident of Darien, Dowling could be found at her sons' lacrosse games from grammar school throughout their college years. She never lost her passion for art and continued to paint and sketch throughout her life, her family said.
She also was an avid gardener who took great pride in making floral arrangements from her own garden and harvesting her lemon tree at the family home in Florida.
Dowling is survived by three sons, Patrick "Paddy" Jr., Connor and Mackenzie "Mack" Dowling; her mother; three sisters, Marybeth Alger, Margaret Greene and Amy Barnes; two brothers, Michael and Larry; a sister-in-law, Elaine Svendsen; a brother-in-law, Thomas Dowling; and 11 nieces and nephews.
Visitation is from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Thursday at Edward Lawrence Funeral Home in Darien. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Thomas More Church in Darien. Burial will follow at Lakeview Cemetery in New Canaan.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Miss Kate Foundation to fund brain cancer research at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Darien and receive free news updates.
