Annette C. Dowdy, 87, of Kearney, NE passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at St. Luke's Good Samaritan Society in Kearney. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at Westminster United Presbyterian Church in Minden with Rev. Polly Deppen-Williams officiating. The service will be streamed to the church's YouTube page. Private family inurnment will be held at a later date. Memorials in Annette's honor are kindly suggested to Berea College, Kentucky, or to Westminster United Presbyterian Church in Minden. Arrangements are under the care of Craig Funeral Home in Minden.

Annette Collins Dowdy was born on February 15, 1937 in Woodville, Alabama to Arthur Douglas Collins and Mary Vera (Hodges) Collins. She graduated from Woodville High School with the Class of 1955. She then graduated from Berea College with a degree in Nutrition in 1960. She was united in marriage to Robert (Bob) Hedley Dowdy on September 6, 1958, and they shared 66 wonderful years of adventures together.

Annette briefly called Lexington, Kentucky and East Lansing, Michigan home as Bob pursued graduate degrees. They ultimately settled in New Brighton, Minnesota. As her children grew, she was an adult educator with the University of Minnesota and Hennepin Technical College.

Upon retirement, she and Bob wintered in Destin, Florida where she finally returned to the warm weather she loved. They spent summers in Kearney. Whether in Minnesota, Nebraska, or Florida, Annette was active in local quilt guilds and loved creating quilts for family, friends, and the Quilts of Valor program. She was an active member of Presbyterian Church of the Way in Shoreview, MN, Destin Methodist Church in Destin, FL, and Westminster United Presbyterian Church in Minden. She believed in serving the Lord in all areas of church life.

In addition to quilting, Annette enjoyed playing (and winning) games with family and friends. She loved fresh flowers, fresh fruit, and seeing the world. Spending time with her family brought her great joy—she spent many years researching family genealogy on both her and Bob's side of the family.

She was preceded in death by their infant son David Lee Dowdy; her parents; her stepmother Louisa Collins; her siblings, Gladys Collins Byrd Barclay, Dr. Arthur Carl Collins, Sr., Dr. Wyatt Eugene Collins, Sr., and Nancy Collins Helms.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband; her daughters Sharon Rees (Alan) of Kearney, and Linda Youberg (John) of Gulf Breeze, FL; four grandsons, Collin Rees (Johanna Bozuwa) of New Gloucester, ME, Zachary Rees (Genna) of Jonesboro, AR, Mason Youberg, of Cocoa Beach, FL, and Finn Youberg of Duluth, MN; one great-grandson, Fletcher Rees; in-laws Richard "Dick" Dowdy (Carol), and Steve Helms; as well as a host of extended relatives and close friends.

Tributes and memories can be shared with the family at www.craigfunerals.com .