Sinia Dowless

On the morning of January 23, 2017, Sinia Faye Dowless, 81, of Bladenboro passed with peace and grace in her home. She is preceded in death by her parents: Kendall and Hester Owens and five brothers: Ralph, Buford, Bethel, Donald, and Sam. Left to cherish her memory is her husband Leon Dowless of the home; two daughters: Linda Evers of Bladenboro and son-in-law Steve Evers and Robyn Wilson and husband Tony of Bladenboro; two grandchildren: Merideth Colville and husband Billy of Harrells and Cody Evers of Bladenboro; one honorary grandchild, MacKenzie Brisson; and two great-grandchildren Sinia Presley and Elaire Rose Colville.

She was born on October 21, 1935 in Lackey, Kentucky, where she learned to cook at an early age standing in a chair by her Mama's stove. When she left home, she made her way to Virginia, serving others at Monty's Diner where she met her husband. They married on November 2, 1957 and eventually settled the family home in Bladen County, North Carolina. She filled up her family with more love than it could hold, so there was more than enough to spread around to all who knew her. There was never a day that her door was wider open than Sunday dinnertime, when she'd make sure and cook enough for company, whether that company was expected or not.

Somehow, in between raising her own two children and helping to raise countless others, Faye tended the land as well as she tended her family. As a farmer, she was equally at home on a setter, a harvester, or on her feet stringing tobacco to be cured, sheeted, and sold. She was known at the market as a master businesswoman, never scared to tear a tag if she knew her crop was valued higher than the highest bidder. It was rare that it came to that since she wouldn't send anything less than top dollar crops attached to her good name. Tobacco was her livelihood, but vegetables and flowers grew from her sweet earth as well. With the patience known only to a true farmer, she planted, pulled, and preserved the best of the bunch, filling her freezers with enough Ziploc bags to stock a superstore, each labeled with a month and year to keep track over long winters. Her hands worked harder than any man ever could, and, even after her farming days were done, her heart never left the fields she loved.

The family will receive friends from 1:00-2:00 pm on Thursday, January 26, 2017 at Dublin First Baptist Church followed by a funeral service at 2:00 pm with Rev. Cameron McGill, Rev. Dewayne Lambeth, and Rev. Tommy Knight officiating. Burial will follow the services in the Allen Cemetery (Hwy 131) in Bladenboro.

Flowers are appreciated or memorials can be made to Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 206 Warrior Trail, Whiteville, NC 28472.