Donna Loree (McDowell) Province, daughter of Karl Leon and Jane Isabella (Gordon) King, was born in Valley Township south of Kirwin, Kansas on February 13, 1926. She passed away at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska on April 20, 2015, at the age of 89.
Loree went to the Bogart School south of Kirwin through the 8th grade and graduated from Kirwin High School with the class of 1943.
On February 15, 1943, she married Charles David McDowell. They lived on a farm in Bow Creek Township, where one daughter and two sons were born. Another son joined the family after they moved to Kirwin, Kansas.
Loree and Charles purchased the Chevrolet car dealership in Kirwin from Ray Cole in 1948. This prompted the family's move into Kirwin in March, 1949, where they had electricity and running water. The couple operated the Chevrolet dealership until 1967, when they changed the name to McDowell Motors and continued the business until 1981.
Loree participated in many Kirwin community activities - Booster Club, Willing 15 Club, and the Kirwin Lions Club. She and Fern Smith initiated the first Kirwin Alumni Banquet and Loree helped with the dedication ceremony for the completion of the Kirwin Dam. She also helped build many floats over the years for Kirwin's Old Settler's Day parades, along with being crowned the Old Settler's Day Queen.
On May 2, 1992, Loree married John Province.
In her spare time she enjoyed dancing, reading, quilting, embroidery work, and sewing. Each family member received a homemade gift for Christmas, plus Loree made all the homemade fudge!
Preceding her in death were her parents, Karl & Jane King; husbands, Charles McDowell and John Province; and two sisters, Francis Matteson and Janice Williams.
Survivors include her daughter, Sondra Kester & husband, Ronald, of Phillipsburg, KS; sons: Eddie McDowell of Colorado Springs, CO, James McDowell & wife, Vicki, of Lucas, KS, and Rex McDowell & wife, Leona, of Okmulgee, OK; 8 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and 8 great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Gordon King & wife, Juanita, of Council Grove, KS; along with many nephews, nieces and cousins.


Funeral services will be held Friday, April 24, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Rex McDowell officiating. Burial will follow in the Kirwin Cemetery, Kirwin, KS.
Friends may sign the book on Wednesday from 5-9 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. at the funeral home. The casket will remain closed.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Holdrege Memorial Home Activities Fund.