Dr. Howard Frederick Dowdell, September 9, 1926-January 14, 2009
Dr. Howard Dowdell, founder and board member of the Canadian Centre for World Mission (CCWM), went to be with Lord on January 14, 2009. CCWM has greatly helped us in making possible the work of the Barnabas Venture for the development of theological education in French-speaking Africa. He himself had been a missionary in francophone Africa, as his bio page indicates:
In 1968 Howard completed his doctoral degree at Harvard University, then served as Assistant to SIM’s General Director, Dr. Raymond Davis. In 1970, the family moved to Niamey, Republic of Niger, where Howard became Director for the SIM Francophone West Africa countries. Howard became Canadian Director of SIM in 1975 and the Dowdells lived in Toronto from 1975 to 1980, when Howard was appointed SIM’s Director of Liberia/Ivory Coast.
In 1984, Howard was seconded by SIM to become Director of the Canadian Centre for World Mission. Marion served as secretary and general helper until Howard stepped down in 1999. He continued in active service on the Board as Vice Chairman until his death on January 14, 2009, combining this with service on the Ontario Board of C.S.S.M. for several years during this time.
We wish hereby to acknowledge Dr. Dowdell and his family for their contributions to the Christian mission in francophone Africa, first as missionaries, then through CCWM. Dowdell’s remarkable missionary career has been recorded in the book It Just Happened to Happen (available for free download). There is a chapter on his work in French-Speaking Africa (p. 141f.).
Palabre 
Thank you so much for honouring my Grandfather in this memorium. My family greatly appreciates it, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I know that my Grandfather would be very proud and happy to know he will always be remembered in this way.
Best wishes,
Joanna
By: Joanna Dowdell on January 4, 2010
at 2:05 pm
I too, would like to pay tribute to Howard (Howie to me ) My parents were, for 25 years, in charge of the S.I.M.s home for missionary children in Collingwood Ont. It was while living there that I went to Canadian Keswick to work on staff there. Howie also worked there and he became my” adopted brother.” Wow, what a mentor he was to me. Everythis from how to swim better to how to correctly ride a 250 cc Triumph Speed twin motorcycle and how to be a gymnast. All these things plus a deeper regard for Spiritual things. I knew him when he was flying his own lightplane to Harvard from Toronto. Thanks to all who had a hand in his up-bringing.
By: Harold Whitehead on March 8, 2011
at 11:39 pm