Sarah Maunette (Baggett) Dowling

Maunette graduated from Geneva High School, Geneva, third in her class of 1945. At one time she was employed at the Wiregrass Electric Co-op in Hartford, leaving there to be with her husband when he was in the service. When her husband was discharged from the Army following a second recall during the Korean conflict, they moved to Mobile in 1951. In Mobile, she was employed by Alcoa for more than 30 years, retiring in 1989. During her employment with Alcoa, she was promoted from clerk typist to senior clerk. She had many jobs while at Alcoa, her last was in the store room as receiving and shipping clerk. While in the store room, she had many duties, among them was operating a forklift. She was quite good at it. Her supervisor often showed off her skill as a female operator. She was proud of her union affiliations and was elected president of the office union. As president, she was the only woman to negotiate a union contract with the United Steel Workers of America. Also as president, she was able to break several man-only jobs which were higher paying, leading the way for other women to follow, Maunette and her husband both retired in 1989 and moved to Panama City, Fla., in 1990, where they lived on the water in Callaway. Maunette enjoyed the view and her husband enjoyed the fishing. In December 2000, Maunette was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. For six and a half years, she battled the cancer with chemotherapy treatments in one form or another. Twice she was in remission, then the cancer would return. The cancer won out and she passed away very peacefully Aug. 14, 2007, with her husband at her bedside. One of Maunettes pastimes was dancing. She loved dancing and was quite good at it. She made her husband look good. Maunette was preceded in death by her parents, H.C. (Tess) and Jeanette Baggett; four brothers, Leroy, Homer, Fred and Ray Baggett; and one sister, Annie Will Campbell. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Oscar Dowling; four sisters, Nell (Carl) Love, Panama City, Fla., Vergie (Everett) Parks, Albian, Ind., Margie McMillan, Wadley, Ga., and Lucille (Dick) Harrell, Marion, Ind., and a host of nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m., Aug. 25, Garden Chapel in Hartford with the Rev. Don Kirsch officiating. Visitation will be 10 to 11 a.m. After services, her ashes will be interred in the Hartford City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Covenant Hospice, 107 West 19th Street, Panama City, FL, 32405, or to a charity of your choice. Bottoms Garden Chapel Hartford, (334) 588-3250, is in charge of arrangements.