Mildred Sophia McDowell, NEE: Erickson, Born 28 June 1917, in Grand Forks, ND, died 1 April, 2009, in West Richland, WA of bone cancer. Millie and her family moved from ND in a model T Ford to Everett, WA in 1921. She graduated from high school at age 16 in Anacortes, WA. She started working at age 15 as a cook and nanny. She attended UW briefly and then moved to Olympia where she worked for the Navy until after WWII. She married Wilson McDowell and raised 2 children, Gregory and Cynthia. She retired in 1984 having worked for several Seattle hospitals as a Medicare billing specialist. She was a terrific cook and really savored good food and Wine and especially champagne! She enjoyed traveling throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Turkey, Greece, and Europe. She appreciated all the fine arts including opera and ballet.

Throughout her life, she always found time for children and dogs. She was the world's greatest grandmother. She is survived by her son Greg McDowell and his wife Patti and her daughter Cindy Slaughter and her husband Matt of Florence, MT; grandsons: Major Erik McDowell, USMC, and Capt Brian McDowell, Hanford Patrol; great grandchildren: Zoe, Maci, Luke and Lana McDowell.

She was preceded in death by her husband Wilson, her brother Carl Erickson and her sister Gladys Hewitt and both her parents Dave and Tina Erickson. Memorial gathering will be held on 11 April from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm @ Greg's home. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Hospice or Salvation Army.