Lt. Col. Edward “Ed" Doyle McDowell, Jr., USAF (Ret.)

Lt. Col. Edward “Ed” Doyle McDowell, Jr., USAF (Ret.), 91, of Bonaire, passed away on Sunday, January 12, 2025. Born on December 20, 1933, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Ed was the son of the late Edward McDowell, Sr. and Margaret Brown McDowell.

Ed’s lifelong dedication to service and excellence began early in life. He attended Baylor Prep School in Chattanooga before going on to earn his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. During his U.S. Air Force career, he completed a master's degree from the University of Southern California which set the stage for his 14 years as an Experimental Test Pilot.

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1958 and served with distinction for over 20 years as an aviator. Ed flew over 200 F-4 combat missions during the Vietnam war. Throughout his career, he was given the opportunity to fly over 16 different military aircraft culminating with service as one of the main test pilots on the B-1 Bomber. He retired from the Air Force at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Following retirement, he served in the Aerospace Industry for over 24 years with the McDonnel-Douglas Corporation and then Boeing.

Ed’s life was also marked by a deep commitment to his community and nature. He was an active volunteer, generously donating his time and skills to various organizations. A member of the Rotary Club for 36 years, Ed served as a former president. He was also a master gardener.

 In addition to his parents, Ed was preceded in death by his son, Edward D. “Teddy” McDowell, III; and brother, Garnet McDowell.

His memory will forever be treasured by his wife of 67 years, Jean McDowell of Bonaire; children, Stacy McDowell-Black of Cleveland, Melanie Pratt (Randy) of Bonaire; and Terence “Terry” McDowell (Leslie) of Wilmington, North Carolina; grandchildren, Tiffany, Christopher, Cody, Ashley, Rachel, Lauren, Lindsay, Sara, and Brent; and great-grandchildren, Tanner, Kaylin, Harper Mae, Teddy, River, Shepherd, and Callum.

Visitation will be Friday, January 17, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at McCullough Funeral Home. A funeral service will immediately follow at 3:00 p.m. in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home. Afterward, Lt. Col. Edward “Ed” Doyle McDowell, Jr., USAF (Ret.) will be laid to rest in Magnolia Park Cemetery.

The family will accept flowers or donations may be given in memory of Lt. Col. Edward “Ed” Doyle McDowell, Jr., USAF (Ret.) to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to Central Baptist Church Building Fund.

For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live at https://www.youtube.com/@McCulloughFuneralHome via the McCullough Funeral Home’s YouTube page.

Go to www.mcculloughfh.com to sign the Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.