Anita Dowty, 84, of Fort Smith, AR passed away on Sunday, November 20th, 2022 in a local hospital. She was born on August 24th, 1938 in Paris, Arkansas. She graduated from Fort Smith High School, married, and became a devoted Army wife. She went on to work as a Red Cross volunteer at Bergstrom AFB in Austin, TX., and Schofield Barracks in Oahu, HI. After returning to Arkansas, she worked for the Donrey Media Group, KPOM, Cooper Clinic, and served as a CASA volunteer. Later in life, she was employed by Martin Marietta in Texas, the County Clerk’s office in Fort Smith, and volunteered as a Poll Worker. She studied Art and English at Westark Community College and had been a writer since 1985. She and my father also owned a family ceramic shop in Fort Smith. She published “My First Cookbook” in 1985 and was co-author with Shirley Touchstone and editor of the book titled “Why Am I Still Here?” that was published in 2012. She also volunteered with Shirley Touchstone in the Grief Share Program at Heritage United Methodist Church in Van Buren. She created many oil paintings over the years and dabbled in pottery. She loved her church, family, friends, celebrating others, taking pictures, and gardening. She cared for her oldest son Randy until his passing in 2018 and her oldest sister, Shirley, with help from her other sister, Cheri. She was in remission from cancer, having survived Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in early 2000.

She was preceded in death by her parents; Charles and Ruby (Lee) Busselle, brother, Ben Busselle, Robert Clayton Dowty I (the love of her life), sons; Stephen Dowty and Randy Burress, and niece, Lou Ann Brady.

She is survived by her daughter Melanie Dawn Bull and husband Bryan of Fort Smith; son, Robert Clayton Dowty II and wife Celia of Collierville, Tennessee; one granddaughter Ashley Fly and her husband Paul of Pegram, Tennessee; grandson Ian Burress and his wife Jennifer of Fort Drum, New York; two sisters Cheri Lee and her husband Bill of Van Buren and Shirley Jones of Fort Smith; grandchildren Kyle, Carrie, and Cooper Johns; Emily, Sarabeth, and Molly Dowty; Summer and Matthew Burress; Eden and Jasper Fly; Hallie Bull and husband Ben and Bryan Bull Jr.; many wonderful cousins; her besties, Mary Hall and Elsa Bryant, and her precious fur baby Lexie.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2022, at Heritage United Methodist Church in Van Buren, Arkansas. Visitation will be at 10:00 am, the Celebration following at 11:00 am.
Arrangement and cremation are under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home in Van Buren

We would like to extend our thanks to all the clinic doctors that have cared for her, as well as those at Mercy and Baptist Health, and the staff at Heritage United Methodist and Ocker Funeral Home. We could not have asked for more professional, caring, and compassionate health-care workers and staff during her illness.

Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away Home… 🐞