Wayne Dowd

Wayne Dowd, age 74, of Texarkana, Arkansas, died Thursday, June 16, 2016, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Mr. Dowd was born November 1, 1941, in Texarkana, Texas and had lived most of his life in Texarkana. He was a member of Fairview United Methodist Church and attended Sugar Hill United Methodist Church. He graduated from Texarkana, Arkansas High School in 1959, attended two years Texarkana College and two years at Southern State College in Magnolia, Arkansas, graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration in January of 1964. Thereafter, he attended the University of Arkansas Law School in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and graduated with an LLB Degree in July of 1966. He served as State Senator for several counties in Southwest Arkansas from 1978 through 2000, representing Miller, Little River, and Lafayette Counties and parts of Hempstead and Columbia Counties. He served as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, rules Committee, and as President Pro Tem of the Senate 1997-1999. He was also selected by the Arkansas Democrat as one of the 10 best Senators in 1995 and 1997. He was a former City Attorney for the City of Texarkana, Arkansas, former Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the 8th Judicial District for the State of Arkansas, a former President of the Texarkana Bar Association, and had served on numerous boards and commissions in Texarkana, Miller County, Arkansas. He had served as president of the Red River Valley Association and had been a member of the board of directors of the Red River Valley Association. Survivors include his wife, Margaret Walker Dowd of Texarkana, Arkansas, two sons and daughters-in-law, Chad and Melanie Dowd and Joe and Natasha Dowd of Texarkana, Arkansas, one brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Peggy Dowd of Little Rock, Arkansas, and six grandchildren, Beth Ann Dowd, Walker Dowd, Mary Margaret Dowd, Victoria Hickey, Bailey Dowd, and Olivia Dowd, all of Texarkana, Arkansas. A celebration of his life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Sugar Hill United Methodist Church with Rev. Greg Burks, Judge William R. Wilson, and Judge Ted Capeheart officiating. Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery under the direction of Texarkana Funeral Home, Arkansas. The family will receive friends at the Sugar Hill United Methodist Church, 1621 Sugar Hill Road, Texarkana, Arkansas, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Friday. Memorials may be made to:Opportunities Inc., 6101 North State Line Avenue, Texarkana, Texas, 75503, to: Christus St. Michael Foundation, 2600 St. Michael Drive, Texarkana, Texas, 75503, or to: Sugar Hill United Methodist Church, 1621 Sugar Hill Road, Texarkana, Ark., 71854. Online registration is at www.texarkanafuneralhome.com.