Donald Patrick Dowd

Donald Patrick Dowd, 88, died on Monday, May 29 at home after a two-year battle with cancer and a long struggle with dementia. Vera, his wife of 58 years, and his children, Lisa and Stephen, were by his side.

Don was born in Dublin, Ireland on January 21, 1929, the only child of Bridget (née Flynn) and Matthew Dowd. Living with his grandmother and separated from his parents during World War II, he left Ireland after the war to join them and to work and study in Manchester, England. He studied mechanical engineering at Salford University at night while starting his long career with Simon Engineering in the daytime.

He immigrated to Canada to open their office, moving to Toronto in 1958. Not long after that he met Vera, and they married in 1959. Don’s career at a number of successor engineering firms and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey took the family on a journey to Chicago, Connecticut, back to Toronto, and finally to the Princeton area for the last 40 years.

After his retirement, Don became engaged in the community. He greatly enjoyed contributing to Princeton by volunteering his expertise on local traffic and transportation issues and serving on the executive board of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization until his energy and attention waned.

A generous and kind man with charm and wit to spare, he had the luck and spirit of the Irish. He had two close calls, surviving a 1980 Amtrak accident and the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. He connected with people with ease and without judgment and had friends from all walks of life. His love of poetry, history, politics, and music was deep and self taught. Golf was a treasured pastime.

He is survived by Vera, Lisa, and Stephen (Tania); and his grandsons, Campbell, Fraser, and Colin. Burial will be in the family plot in Toronto.

The family wishes to thank the caregivers and volunteers of Princeton Hospice and Janet and Nora for their compassionate care in his final weeks and days.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge funeral home, Princeton.

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Phyllis Phox

Phyllis Phox, 87, of Princeton, died on Friday, May 26, 2017 of complications from Parkinson’s disease. She was born and raised in Bronx, N.Y.

Phyllis Bowman married James “Alfred” Phox on June 28, 1952 at the Episcopal Church of the Crucifixion in Harlem. They had three children: twins Pamela and James Jr. and a young son, Lance.

Phyllis and Al loved to travel, whether it was to Dad’s movie locations or just on vacations to explore other cultures. They visited more than 35 countries and roamed from East to the Great Wall and Sydney to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands in the West, from Stockholm and Montreal in the North to Bariloche and Portillo in the South. Dad’s work on feature films occasionally allowed them to reside for several months in Beirut, Lagos, Martha’s Vineyard, and Saint Paul de Vence. Phyllis visited every continent except for Antarctica. “Too cold,” she said.

Besides being a stay-at-home mother, she worked as a part-time cashier at John Witherspoon Middle School.

Phyllis was a very active member of Trinity Church for more than 60 years. During that time she served on their Altar Guild and worked tirelessly on their annual rummage sale fundraiser. Up until the end she was actively monitoring the preparations for this fall’s event.

Married for 65 years, besides her husband, Mrs. Phox is survived by a daughter, Pamela of Denver, Colo.; two sons, Lance of Long Branch, N.J. and James of Oakland, Calif.; a son-in-law, Reid; daughters-in-law Andrea and Kimberly; a sister, Edna Harleston of Orlando, Fla.; two grandchildren, Thayer and Sara; and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts to Trinity Church-Rummage Sale, 33 Mercer St., Princeton, NJ 08540, in her name would be appreciated. Your gift will be distributed to the many area nonprofits that support those in need.

Her memorial service is scheduled for Trinity Church, June 10 at 11 a.m.

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Memorial Service

John Winterbottom

A memorial service to celebrate the life of John Winterbottom, who died on January 15, 2017, will be held on Tuesday, August 1 at 4 p.m. in the auditorium at Stonebridge at Montgomery in Skillman, N.J. Cellist Jordan Enzinger will perform, and there will be a reception afterwards. John’s complete obituary was published in the January 25, 2017 issue of Town Topics.