Lasting Memories

George Firth Dowley
1931-July 26, 2007
Menlo Park, California

Longtime Menlo Park resident George Firth Dowley died July 26 after a brief illness. He was 76.

Mr. Dowley was born in Detroit. In 1945 his family moved to Los Altos and he attended Bellarmine Prep high school in San Jose. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, where he was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. A member of ROTC, upon graduation he was commissioned a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Following a tour of duty in Korea, he returned to San Francisco in 1954, where he began a lifelong career in the securities industry.

In 1955 he met Charlene Bianchi and the two were married December 1, 1956, at St. Vincent de Paul Church in San Francisco. The couple settled first in San Francisco before moving to the Midpeninsula, where they raised their five sons and two daughters.

Mr. Dowley belonged to many clubs and organizations, including the San Francisco Bond Club, the World Trade Club, and the Merchants Exchange, where he served as president. He was also a member of the Serra Club, the Cogers, the Book Club of California, and was an avid supporter of the Golden Crew of 1952, his graduating class at UC Berkeley.

Mr. Dowley possessed a prodigious memory and storytelling ability, say family members. He was also a voracious reader. Other lifelong interests were collecting rare books and coins, playing bridge, researching family genealogy, attending Cal football games, and listening to music of all eras.

Mr. Dowley is survivied by his wife of nearly 50 years, Charlene; six children, Nora Dowley, Philip Dowley, Matthew Dowley, James Dowley, Thomas Dowley and Jane Paolucci; sister Margaret Cody of St. Clair Shores, Michigan; and 11 grandchildren. His son, Peter, predeceased him.