Beverly Lynne Dowell

Beverly was born at Fort Jackson, SC (outside Columbia) on September 15, 1948. The daughter of Colonel (Dec.) Vern B Dowell, U. S. Army and his wife, Margie. Bev was a true army brat who moved with her family extensively throughout her childhood and eventually settled in Fairfax, VA. She attended the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. Early in her career, she worked for 14 years at Navy Federal Credit Union in various accounting roles and as an internal auditor. She left the organization to pursue a computer science degree from Virginia Tech and begin a new career. With her B.S. in hand, she joined TRW (later acquired by Northrop Grumman) and then Miklos Systems to work on information technology projects supporting the federal government. After retiring in 2014, she pursued her favorite activities in her free time; Bev was an avid reader and bridge player and loved to travel and work on puzzles. 

She died peacefully on December 19, 2024, in Fairfax, VA, after a valiant multi-year battle with pancreatic cancer. She is survived by her sisters, Nancy from Naples, FL, and Diana (and partner Larry) from Fairfax, VA, as well as her brother, Douglass, Fairfax, VA, along with her nieces, nephew and cousins. She is predeceased by her parents, her brother, Vern B, III (Buddy), and nephews, Jeffrey Robert and Donald Tyson (Ty). She is missed by her family and friends for her love, companionship, advice, and knowledge. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2025, 12pm at Holy Cross Episcopal Church, 2455 Gallows Rd, Dunn Loring, VA. No flowers please. If you wish to donate in her memory, please consider the Virginia Tech Computer Science Department, Blacksburg, VA; House of Ruth, Washington DC; or SOME (So Others Might Eat), Washington, DC; or a charity of your choice.