John "Bill" MacDowell III left us on Monday, May 20th. Bill was born on March 10th 1951 in San Pedro, California. He leaves behind his wife of 49 years, Marsha MacDowell; 4 grown children Kim Adamson (Josh) of Parma, Idaho, Becky Goodson of Parma, Idaho, Bo MacDowell (Amy) of Parma, Idaho, and Amber MacDowell (Shane Hall) of Notus, Idaho; and 8 grandchildren. He also leaves behind his mother, Elizabeth (Betty) VanGorder of Caldwell, Idaho; 2 sisters Barbara Lees (Phil) of Caldwell, Idaho, Bonnie Minder of Caldwell, Idaho; 2 brothers Robert MacDowell (Paula) of Parma, Idaho and Mike MacDowell (Jeanette) of Nipomo, California; and many nieces and nephews and their children. He was preceded in death by his sister, Buffy Fromm and his father, John MacDowell.
Bill was larger than life and will be missed, not only by his family, but by the many people that knew him, worked with him, and looked up to him as a father figure. He was always there to help anyone and everyone, and was always more than willing to give a hand up and a handout, when needed. Bill believed in the under dogs, the abandoned, and those that lost their way. He saw the good in people and tried to help them believe in themselves. He knew that he could do anything because, as his good friend, Ron Miller, told him, "It's all just nuts and bolts."
Whether it be teasing or teaching them life lessons, Bill always loved spending time with his kids, nieces, nephews, and grandkids. He passed on so many things to all of them including his love of horses, mechanics, his work ethic, sense of humor, and philosophy of “Go big or go home."
Bill was a jack of all trades and he loved to barbecue. It made him happy when a crowd enjoyed his food. He loved to try different foods and then convince other people to eat them, especially if he could get a big reaction from them.
People gravitated toward Bill, and anyone who ever met him knew that he was something very special. Friends and family referred to him as The Big Dog, Superman, larger than life, and magical. He was a rock for many people. You could always count on him when anything broke down, to sit at the hospital with you, when you needed a laugh, advice, or just needed a friend. He was always there for everyone. The world will be lesser without him in it. Words cannot express how much he will be missed.
The family will be hosting a Celebration of Life, MacDowell-style, with a barbecue at 21402 Wood Lane, Parma, Idaho on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at 2 PM.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made locally at any CapEd Credit Union branch to the Bill MacDowell Memorial Fund or wire directly to Routing # 324172575 Account # 8536580
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