02/01/2008

Kay E. (Dowds) Wiggins

January 31, 2008

OFDA received word this afternoon that Kay E. (Dowds) Wiggins, age 65, of Mount Vernon, died Thursday January 31, 2008 following a battle with cancer. Kay was born June 18, 1942 in Murfeesboro, Tennessee, the daughter of Paul K. and Hazel E. (Fishburn) Dowds.

She graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1960 and then attended Ohio University and Ohio Northern University and graduated from the Bill Hickson School of Floral Design in Cleveland and the London School of Floral Design in England. While in England she met a young marine Paul H. Wiggins Jr. and they were married in 1964. Kay became a licensed funeral director with the state of Ohio in 1969 and she and her husband Paul joined her father's funeral business the Dowds-Wiggins Funeral Home that they managed for 20 years.

Kay had been active in community affairs having served on the Board of Directors of several organizations in Knox County. Kay was a member of the Gay Street United Methodist Church in Mount Vernon and the Ohio Funeral Directors Association.

Surviving are her husband Paul H. Wiggins Jr.; her son Marc (Gloria) Wiggins; her daughter Gail Lashley, four grandchildren Kyle Lashley, Danielle Lashley, Sarah Metz and Nathaniel Wiggins and an aunt Ruth (Dowds) Richardson. Kay was preceded in death by her parents and a very special aunt Florence Cass.

Friends may call Monday, February 4, 2008 from 5 to 8 pm at the Dowds-Snyder Funeral Home in Mount Vernon where the Knox Chapter #236 Order of Eastern Star will conduct memorial services following the calling hours. Funeral services will be Tuesday at 2 pm at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Mound View Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Knox County Crippled Children and Adults or to Hospice of Knox County.

To send an online condolence to the family, visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com