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Kay Lynelle McDowell was born to the late Bill and Geneva Rogers on December 12, 1941, in Phoenix, Arizona. She attended schools in Arizona and completed her education in California. It was there she met her husband, Brad McDowell. By the time she was 21, she had brought three children into the world. Two more babies became part of the family before they moved to Rhode Island, where her husband completed his studies at Barrington College. In Rhode Island, seven more children were added to the family.

With her husband's growing publishing business and their growing family, they made another move to Florida, where they found more babies to love. They began looking for a much larger home, even a ranch, for the family that was now 21 strong. By this time Kay watched as her oldest children left the nest to make their own way in life.

A friend connected them with ranches looking for managers and by 1998 the McDowells arrived at the Bar 41 Ranch in Wilbur, Washington, with 10 of their 21 children. Once in Washington, their last two children were welcomed into the fold.

Kay's mission in life was dedicated to raising children in a loving Christian environment, to help them develop good moral values and work ethics, to provide opportunities for them to become active citizens, and to serve God. She definitely achieved that goal and loved sharing the joy of their grown children's successes, who are now scattered from coast to coast.

Kay passed away with her loving family by her side. She was a woman of many talents whose endless creativity astonished us all. She had an infectious laugh and a smile that lit up a room. We will never forget all that she was and all that she is to us. As much as we wanted Kay to stay, God said it was time for her to come home. Kay was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, pilot, teacher, nurse, hiker, camper, cook, hostess, protector, enforcer, world traveler, and a living legend.

Kay is survived by her loving husband of 58 years, Brad McDowell, and her brother, Keith Rogers.  She was a loving mother to her biological children: Daniel and wife Elizabeth McDowell, Deborah and husband Ray Rehn, and David McDowell. She lovingly brought into her heart and home 20 adopted children: Dana Scott, Darren and wife Melissa McDowell, Kevin and wife Alison Gaumond, Jason and wife Cindy McDowell, Danielle and husband Tom Crabb, Stanley and wife Shilpa McDowell, Victoria and husband Robert Hernaiz, Kenneth and wife Anna McDowell, Melissa and husband Tony Harper, Theresa and husband Rodney Schoener, Mara and husband Christopher Fleck, Angela McDowell, Alexander McDowell, Amanda McDowell, Adam McDowell, Arika McDowell, Annessa McDowell, Austin McDowell, Andrew McDowell, and Aaron McDowell. Her grandchildren: Sarah Pereira, Jonathon McDowell, Rachael McDowell, Anne-Marie Bush, Amber-Rei Burgess, Alisa-Kay Rehn, Brian-Adam Micheal Rehn (aka Bammer), Taylor and Clayton Scott, Ivan Gaumond, Adriana McDowell; Julie, Dylan and Gavin Schoener; Ireland, Elijah and Liberty Fleck; Logan and Aria Gonzales-McDowell, Grayson McDowell, Stanley Jr. and Karishma McDowell, Kimberly Hilderbrand, Alicia and Michelle Hernaiz, Cassandra Crabb, stepson Nathaniel Robeson. Her great-grandchildren: Amelia and Caleb Pereira, Clayton and Gavin Bush and Kayla Bush, and Emma Grace Burgess.