Harding Atlas McDowell

High Point – Harding Atlas McDowell, 100, went to his heavenly home on Friday, July 24, 2020 from

Westchester Manor.

Harding was born in High Point on July 18, 1920 to the late William Atlas McDowell and Dovie Roxanna

Morgan McDowell. In addition to his parents, Harding was preceded in death by his half-brothers Clyde

McDowell, Taft McDowell and William Arnold McDowell; his brother Joseph Wesley McDowell; his halfsisters

Clara Jane McDowell Morgan, Ola Lissey McDowell, Mary Louise McDowell Winslow, Ethel

Gertrude Wells Hayworth and Frances Luetta Nance and his granddaughter Susan Lynn McDowell.

Harding married Evangeline Hawks on December 23, 1941. After her death on August 16, 1987, he

married Mary Westmoreland Lentz on February 18, 1989 who also preceded him in death on June 28,

2010.

Harding Atlas McDowell, a former Sergeant in the 461st Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Charlie Battery, Second

Platoon. He was a veteran of the Normandy invasion; he was award the EAMET Campaign Medal with

five bronze stars along with the good conduct medal and honored by the French Military on June 6,

1994 and the French Government on December 6, 2001.

A lifelong resident of High Point, Harding was a member of the Green Street Baptist Church. Globe

Parlor Manufacturing Company employed him as an upholsterer after graduation from High Point High

School in 1937, where he lettered in baseball and soccer and was a catcher on the Globe Parlor industrial

league baseball team prior to World War II. He remained with Globe Parlor following its purchase by

Burlington Industries and retired in 1982.

Harding was an ardent genealogist; he co-authored in 1983 a McDowell family history with his two sons,

Harding Keith McDowell and Larry Jerome McDowell. In addition he is survived by his daughter, Carolyn

Marie Nance; his sister, Margie Jean McDowell, four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and one

great-great grandchild.

No formal services will be held due to the pandemic. A private family burial will be held at the gravesite

in Oakwood Cemetery.

Remembrances and condolences can be shared at Harding’s tribute page at www.cumbyfuneral.com.

Cumby Family Funeral Service in High Point is serving the family.

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