Leslie Dean McDowell, age 78, of Iberia, passed away on Thursday, November 3, 2016, at Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City. He was born in Cooter, MO on December 9, 1937, son of the late Leslie Clifford McDowell and Doris (Coleman) McDowell Poole. On June 7, 1957, in Midland, Texas, Dean married Delores Marie Wangler, who survives at the home. They celebrated 59 ½ years of marriage.

Dean served in the United States Navy from 1958 until his honorable discharge in 1964. He was stationed on the first two nuclear powered submarines, the U.S.S. Nautilus and the U.S.S. Triton.

Following his Navy career, he worked at the Nuclear Research Center at Georgia Tech for 25 years as a nuclear reactor operator. After retirement, he and his wife settled in Iberia in 1989 to farm.

Dean was a member of the Iberia Congregational Christian Church where he taught Sunday School.

In addition to his loving wife, Delores, he is also survived by four children, Christie McDowell of Iberia, Bruce McDowell and wife Lori of Kennesaw, GA, Becky Baldwin and husband Robb of Marietta, GA, and Dede Shadow and husband Ray of Iberia; seven grandchildren, Paige and Tyler McDowell, Alexis and Jack Baldwin, and Rebekah, Cassidy, and Levi Shadow; one great-granddaughter, Emilee McDowell; one sister, Lee Valentine of Mesa, AZ: as well as a special family friend, Jeanet Meijerink-Heuver, who he considered his "Dutch daughter", and her husband Paul and their children, Carlo, Reuben, and Hugo of Hardenberg, Netherlands.

Visitation will be from 12 (noon) to 2 p.m., with services immediately following at 2 p.m., on Sunday, November 6, at Fancher-Rekus Funeral Home in Iberia. Dr. Rev. Wayne Cogell will officiate. Interment will be in Freedom Cemetery near Iberia.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Parkinson's Association.