Long-time music educator, composer, and arranger Jerry David McDowell Sr. of Charleston, Missouri, died Wednesday, September 20, 2023. He was 80 years old. "Mr. Mac", as he was affectionately called, will be remembered for his love of music, impact on his students, his dry humor, and his dapper style of dress.  More intimately he was called "Uncle Mac", "Paw Paw", and "Bone" (referencing his love for trombone) and known for his effortless skills in the kitchen while enjoying the company of his family and friends.

He was born June 19, 1943, in McComb, Mississippi, the son of Oscar and Mable Smith McDowell. His original passion was football, but he began playing the trombone after suffering an injury during high school and never returned to sports.  He was a gifted multi-instrumentalist and was passionate about playing the piano, trombone, recorder, and melodica to name a few.

He attended Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1967. While at Jackson State he became a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. in 1964.  After graduation, he studied applied music and advanced trombone at Indiana University in Bloomington, and later earned a Master of Arts in Teaching at Southeast Missouri State University in 1972.

While attending college he met Maxine Jackson in 1963. The couple married in 1966 and moved to Charleston after being recruited to help bring racial integration to Charleston schools. Initially he taught music classes at Charleston High School and Washington School in Wyatt, Missouri, and he served as band director at Lincoln High School in Charleston.

His philosophy of life was "One who acquires useful knowledge has the responsibility to pass it on." Mr. Mac ultimately dedicated a 50-year career to educating people of all ages throughout the region. He served the Charleston R-1 School District in multiple roles, including music instructor and choir director (1967-1999, 2006-2009), and juvenile instructor (1996-2006, 2010-2023). He was an adjunct instructor at Shawnee Community College and a music instructor at St. Henry Catholic School.  He worked 18 years as a GED instructor for Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center, and for many years as an at-risk youth advisor for the Mississippi County Juvenile Detention Center.

Mr. Mac received numerous accolades throughout his career for excellence in teaching, including Charleston schools Educator of the Year in 1982, Regional Educator of the Year in 1995, Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year in 1997, and KFVS-TV Outstanding Educator in 1999. He was also named Charleston's Man of the Year in 2016.

He composed many original songs over the years.  Although he rarely spoke of his creative process, he was once said in an interview that when he composes, "It has to be a Saturday. It has to be raining.  I open a Bible, read a verse, and then begin composing using the message given to me."  His composition "A Tree" was recognized by the Missouri Music Educators Association and was published in a collection of works supporting environmental interests by the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1985.  He has also had original instrumental and vocal arrangements performed all over the region, including "God is My Strength" by the University Choir at Southeast Missouri State University.

He was dedicated to community service and was a faithful member and church musician at Shiloh Baptist Church in Charleston. He was a former church musician at Perry Chapel A.M.E. Church and regularly played for ensemble groups and community programs throughout the region that are too numerous to attempt to name. He had previously served on the Historical Society Board, the Housing Authority Board, and the Planning and Zoning Committee.  He led an early childhood piano program for the Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center and also gave private lessons for decades, up until his passing.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Maxine; one daughter, Jeral Tracy (Jerry) Watt, of Memphis, Tennessee; one son, Juri (Kamal) McDowell of St. Louis, Missouri; one brother, Willie McDowell of Braxton Mississippi; five grandchildren, Cameron Watt (Memphis, TN), Sona McDowell (Columbia, MO), Maya Watt (New Orleans, LA), and Kush and Manu McDowell (St. Louis). He also leaves to cherish his memory a god daughter, Kelsie Anderson of Sikeston, Missouri.  In addition, he is also survived by his extended family, the DeMyers, Zellars, Fitzgeralds, and McFerrens.  He was preceded in death by his parents, 6 brothers, 3 sisters, and one son, Jerry David McDowell II.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 pm Saturday, September 30, 2023, at McMikle Funeral Home.

Funeral services will begin at 1 p.m., Sunday, October 1, 2023, at Charleston United Methodist Church, the Pastor Kelly Wall officiating.

Interment will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the endowed scholarship of his late son, the Jerry David McDowell II Memorial Scholarship at Southeast Missouri State University. To give, go to https://semo.edu/giving/, select amount, and under Designate Your Gift select Other and type in the scholarship name. To send Southeast a check, simply make checks payable to the Southeast Missouri University Foundation (Jerry McDowell II Memorial Scholarship) and mail to:

Southeast Missouri University Foundation
One University Plaza, MS 7300
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

For those unable to attend in person, the service till be live streamed on the website of the United Methodist Church of Charleston, found at  charlestonumc.org  or the church youtube channel, CharlestonUMC.