Carolyn McDowell

Carolyn Sears McDowell, born in Richmond Virginia on April 24, 1932, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, with family by her side. Carolyn was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother. She was also an amazing caregiver for her granddaughter Hannah for many years, until Hannah passed away in 2023. Carolyn's love for music and drama touched countless lives. She delighted in her work as a music coach, mentor, and dramatist, sharing her craft with great love and generosity of spirit, and always focusing on others. Carolyn's greatest gift was helping those in her care find their own talents. Her wonderful spirit will be missed by all who knew her.

Carolyn graduated from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ with a Bachelor of Music in Voice and Organ. She also studied vocal technique with Leon Thurman of The Voice Network in Minneapolis and was one of fourteen chosen nationally for special training in the 1988 Choristers Guild Professional Skills Seminar for Clinicians. She is listed in the 1965 edition of Outstanding Young Women of America. Carolyn began her career with her husband, Henry L. McDowell, serving for eight years at the Methodist Children's Home in Waco, Texas, followed by nine years serving as Directors of Music and Drama at Johnson Memorial UMC in Huntington, West Virginia.

Carolyn and Henry then moved to Decatur First United Methodist Church in Atlanta, where they faithfully served as co-directors of the Ministry of Music and Drama from 1971 until they retired in September 2003. While at Decatur First UMC, Carolyn specialized in voice and drama for the children and youth choirs, both directing and writing. Her writings, which included choric speech, short dramas, worship settings, sketches, scenes, one-act plays, and poetry, were featured at Decatur First, and have been presented by churches nationwide. She was featured in various publications, newsletters, and books: Choristers Guild, THE CHORISTER Educational Ministries, Youth Unlimited, and Association for the Arts in the Church of the Brethren. In addition, Carolyn was a frequent clinician for children's choral festivals in West Virginia, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Wisconsin, Georgia and Texas and led workshops on drama in worship in Texas, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Georgia and West Virginia.

Since her retirement in 2003, Carolyn volunteered as a script writer for Directors Sonny Walden and John Cowden at Decatur First UMC, and also served as substitute or interim organist and/or director for several Atlanta area churches including Steward Avenue UMC, Briarcliff UMC, Good Shepherd Presbyterian of Lilburn, All Saints Lutheran Church of Lilburn, University Heights UMC, as well as for Decatur First UMC after her retirement.

Carolyn was a charter member and past president of the Atlanta Georgia Chapter of Choristers Guild and was Dean of the Huntington, WVA Chapter of the AGO and drama director of the Musical Arts Guild of that city. She served for 12 years on the Executive Committee for the Atlanta Choristers, Guild Midwinter Workshop and was camo "Honcho" and drama writer/teacher for the Atlanta Chapters annual children's Summer Choir Camp for seven summers.

Carolyn was predeceased by her husband Henry L. McDowell, daughter Debra Hubbard and husband William Hubbard, and granddaughter Hannah Hubbard. She is survived by her son, Kevin McDowell and wife Suzanne Duplantis, son Bryan McDowell and wife Sherry McDowell, and daughter Shari McDowell. Carolyn is also survived by her grandchildren Mei-Mei McDowell, Lily McDowell, Mark McDowell, Scott McDowell and wife Kelsey McDowell, Grace Shewbridge and husband Daniel Shewbridge, Jacob Hubbard and wife Eliza Hubbard. Carolyn had five great grandchildren, Charli, Bram, Tatum, Rhett, and Gavin.

A Celebration of Life for Carolyn McDowell will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, June 13th at Decatur First United Methodist Church, at 300 E Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030 with a reception to follow in Fellowship Hall. The service will also be streamed live @ www.decaturfirst.org.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor Carolyn’s life and faith through a gift made in her memory to the Music and Drama Program at Decatur First United Methodist Church—a ministry that reflects her love of worship, creativity, and community.