Tara Adams Dowden

Tara passed peacefully on July 22, after a fierce bout with Ovarian cancer. She was surrounded by loving family, in her snug at home on Highland Avenue in Manchester Vermont. “I wish to thank everyone who shared what was my wonderful life. I will miss you all.” The youngest daughter of John and Ruth Dowden grew up in Montclair, New Jersey, enjoying many memorable summers with her gang at Lake Gerard. She attended the Kimberly School, Montclair High School and graduated with a B.A. in Art History from American University in Washington D.C. She emigrated to Vermont in 1980 and worked as a bank manager at Rutland Savings and Chittenden Banks. She worked as a Certified Financial Planner with Merrill Lynch and for the past thirteen years with Stifel Nicolaus & Company. She met Wayne Edwin Bell, the love and joy of her life in 1990. They courted in Manchester, and traveled with their sons around the United States and to Germany. They often traveled to Ireland where they climbed Croag Patrick and were married on the cliff at Dun Aengus on Inis Mor. In Manchester, they raised their family on Highland Avenue. She was active in the community helping Santa as Mrs. Claus. She was a longtime Treasurer of the Manchester Rotary Club and received the Paul Harris Service Award. She also served as Treasurer of the Manchester Health Service for many years as well as many community and nonprofit boards. She was appointed by the Governor to the Vermont Real Estate Commission. She also served many years on the Town of Manchester Investment Advisory Board. Tara received the Manchester “Unsung Hero” Community Service Award in 1997. Tara was also a well known publican hosting “Knitters on the Hill '' as well as the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration and weekly gatherings, concerts, and events since 2000 at Seamus O’Dowden’s Public House and Shebeen. She poured a perfect pint. Her greatest hope in life was that her children, friends and family enjoy lives of health and happiness. She loved painting, puzzles, Christmas, the ocean, popsicles, hot fudge, Halloween, lobster, Ray’s Cosmos, and music of all kinds, especially Irish sessions. She especially loved traveling with Wayne and they made regular trips to visit friends and tour and explore Ireland every year. She was an avid collector of many things, especially Irish Whiskey which, with the help of her friends, became a world class collection. She is survived by her husband Wayne Edwin Bell, their three sons, Nicholas Bell of Freeport, ME, Matthew (Stephanie) Bell of York, ME, Michael Bell of Parsonsfield, ME, and two granddaughters, Hazel Sea and Maizy Wynter Bell, her sister Joyce Dowden of Franklin, NJ, her sisters-in law, Cheryl Bell of Stonewood, WV, Kathleen (John) Branchflower of Summit, NJ, Patrice (Jay) Wiggins of Hendersonville, NC, Lorry (Cary) Cotten of Vista CA, many nieces and nephews and their extended “framily” including the Trista and Adam, Connor, Ninah, and Woody Rowe family of Grey, Maine, and the John and Sarah, Daisy and Siobhan O’Keefe family of Manchester Vermont, the Delaney/Walsh families of Kilkenny, Ireland and of course, their Jack Russell Terrier Madigan Clare, Araucana chickens, the rabbits, Hops and Barley, the Coy fish, Blackface Mountain sheep: Clodagh, Roisin, Fiona and her new Highland calf Ayla Clarice. “But since it fell into my lot That I should rise and you should not Fill to me the parting glass And drink a health whate'er befalls Then gently rise and softly call Good night and joy be with you all.” An Irish wake, ceile, and celebration of her life will be held at 4PM on Saturday August 28, 2021 at Seamus O’Dowden’s Public House in Manchester Vermont, to share a Parting Glass. In lieu of flowers, please commit a random act of kindness or pay one forward.