Porter Dowling

Funeral services honoring the life of Porter Garland "Sonny" Dowling will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, May 25, 2020 at First Baptist Church Logansport. Interment will follow at O.E. Price Memorial Cemetery in Logansport. A visitation with the family will be held at the church on Sunday, May 24, 2020 beginning at 5:00 p.m. Porter Garland "Sonny" Dowling, 86, crossed over the river to rest beneath the shade of the trees on May 22, 2020, at his home in Logansport, Louisiana. He was born February 26, 1934, to Thomas Lawson Dowling and Doris Garland Dowling in Grand Cane, Louisiana. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Logansport, LA. He was a member of Boy Scouts of America and was the first Eagle Scout in Troop 33 in Logansport. He graduated from Logansport High School in 1952 and graduated from Louisiana Tech University in September, 1959 with a B.S. in Forestry. He joined the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1956 and volunteered for active duty. He served on the USS Lake Champlain and was released from active duty in May 1958 to complete college. On June 7, 1958, he married the love of his life, Marilyn Lurline Siler. After graduating from Louisiana Tech University he and Marilyn moved to Arkansas where he worked for Dierks Forests in Winthrop. In 1964 they moved to Winnsboro, Louisiana and then to Chatham, Louisiana working for Tremont Lumber Company managing the company's 4 management districts. In 1970, they moved the family home to Logansport, Louisiana opening Hunt Lumber Company's office in Logansport and managing their company lands west of the Red River. He formed Dowling Forest Services in 1974 specializing in consulting forestry for private landowners and operating a pulpwood yard shipping to Nekoosa Paper Company in Ashdown, Arkansas. In 1985 he formed Southern Forest Management and continued to manage private timber lands and consulting forestry work. Porter participated in many community activities including being a Scoutmaster, Member of the Lions Club, Frontier Days Association, volunteer coach of Logansport's Junior High girls' basketball team in 1974 and 1975, Police Chief of the Town of Logansport, founding member of West DeSoto EMS, Member of Sons of Confederate Veterans since 1996 serving as the commander of the James Hamilton Beard Camp #1856 for many years. He also served on the board of Waterworks District No. 1 of DeSoto Parish for several years. He was known by Sonny, Porter, Daddy, Dad and Grandaddy. He was a loyal fan of LHS Tiger football and loved the Louisiana Tech bulldogs. But his greatest joy came from time spent with family and especially his grandchildren and great-grands. They were the light of his life - only outshown by the love of his life - his darling Marilyn. Left behind to cherish his memory are his children, Laura Lee Stewart and Wes of Onalaska, TX,Lisa Cummings and Ike of Joaquin, TX, Casey Dowling of Bossier City, LA, David Dowling and Kelsea of Logansport, LA; grandchildren, Crystal Smith, Tiffany Brittain & Ben, Cole Henington & Stacy, Bradley Cummings & Kayla, Matthew Henington, Curt Cummings & Rebekah, Christopher Dowling, Caitlyn Moton & Brandon, Nick Dowling, Cullen Dowling, Addison Dowling, Trinity Dowling, Noah Dowling; great-grandchildren, Mallory Arbuckle, Zach Smith, Lariat Brittain, Emily Smith, Chandler Brittain, Alyssa Cummings, Bryson Mortenson, Ryland Brittain, Rylee Dowling, Macy Henington, Aisley Cummings, McKennon Cummings, Sam Henington, Tegan Dowling, Saylor Cummings, Grayson Dowling and one more on the way, along with a host of friends, cousins, family and members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Marilyn Siler Dowling, son, Lance Cullen Dowling, and his parents. The family would like to thank Dr. Atilla Balogh, Dr. Paul Cole, the nurses and staff of LA Home Care and Superior Hospice for their care. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, the Sons of Confederate Veteran's Museum, P.O. Box 59, Columbia, TN 38402 or the Sons of Confederate Veterans Sam Davis Youth Camp, c/o Bruce Cunningham, Director, PO Box 131, Decatur, TX 76234.