Donna Ellen Dowling

Donna Dowling, age 62 of Pompton Lakes, NJ, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 alongside her loving family.

Donna was born in Passaic, NJ in 1962 to John and Rosemary Maddocks, and she was raised in Oakland, NJ where she attended Indian Hills High School. She continued her education at West Virginia University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Family Resources, cum laude.

Following college, Donna worked for PSE&G in their energy conservation division and married Rory Dowling. They moved to Pompton Lakes in 1994 and were blessed with their first set of twins, Christopher and Patrick. While raising her first set of twins, Donna continued working at PSE&G and held several different positions in sales and marketing until 2000, when she and Rory were blessed with their second set of twins, Sara and Sean.

Her focus and passion was raising her four children. She worked at St Mary’s school, where her children attended, in the lunchroom, playground, and aftercare. She volunteered at snack stands for sporting events, brought the kids to sports practices and games, and taught them at home outside of school. She also helped family and friends file taxes and took care of family members in need.

Donna cherished spending time with family and friends. She found joy in cooking meals for them especially during different seasons. Whether it was shish kebabs, pot roast, chili, garlic bread with steak, chicken cacciatore, taco salad, or something plainer like fried chicken cutlets or pasta, she always ensured her company were well-fed and happy. She enjoyed watching movies and tv shows with her family, often over a bowl of Häagen-Dazs coffee ice cream.

Donna loved taking her family on vacations. They routinely traveled to Disney World, and Donna specifically liked the Hollywood Studios park which had her favorite ride, the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, which represented her love of music. Some of her favorite trips included an Alaskan Cruise in 2007 where she got to see the northern lights, a road trip out west with family and friends in 2013, attending the Twinsburg Ohio Twins Day Festival in 2006, and of course regular trips down to the Jersey Shore.

Donna had a strong connection with nature. She often found peace in her backyard while looking at the sky and stars or relaxing in a steaming hot tub outside listening to nature. She gardened, landscaped, and pointed out aspects of the environment that she found beautiful. She liked being around a fire pit and family and friends with a perfectly toasted s’mores sandwich and hot chocolate in her hand.

Donna was a quiet, thoughtful person who valued her close relationships. She enjoyed attending local events such as tricky trays and concerts. She was often lucky, winning prizes at tricky trays and hitting the jackpot on slot machines.

Donna was an incredibly caring person who always helped those in need. She had a brilliant mind that could solve things effectively. She would offer anyone help with anything even if she had to figure it out on her own.

Donna touched the souls of everyone who encountered her and will be remembered for her caring, gentle, kind, and loving demeanor. She always maintained a calm temperament and patience that were second to none. Her care for her pets, including Rusty, Angel, Tommy, Oreo, and many others, revealed her loving, motherly character. Donna’s smart, hardworking, and patient temperament will be deeply missed by those who were lucky enough to know her.

Donna is survived by her husband Rory Dowling, four children, Christopher, Patrick, Sara, and Sean, her mother Rosemary Maddocks, her siblings John Maddocks and Beth Helmke, and many other family members who remember her with much heartfelt admiration. She was predeceased by her father John Maddocks.

If you are interested in making a donation, the LUNGevity Foundation provides various services for patients with lung cancer. You can find donation information on their website: Lungevity Foundation