Beryl Lerch Dowling, 80, beloved wife of Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Frank Dowling of Fulton High School, Class of 1960, passed away peacefully on April 22, 2025.
Born and raised in the Red Bank community of Chattanooga, Beryl graduated from Red Bank High School in 1961 and went on to Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, earning her B.S. in Elementary Education in 1965. At Tech she was honored as a Class Beauty and served proudly as ROTC sponsor. It was there, during her sophomore year, that she met Frank—then an Army cadet—beginning a courtship that would endure continents and combat deployments alike.
After Frank’s graduation, Beryl watched him off to Officers Basic Training, Airborne and Ranger School at Fort Benning, and a thirteen-month tour in Korea. Reunited on Valentine’s Day, 1967, they became engaged—and on June 4, 1967, they were married. As a new Army wife, Beryl embraced military life with characteristic grace: she held office in the Officers’ Wives Club, led ministries in the post chapel, and cultivated deep friendships at every duty station.
Over the next 21 years, the Dowlings served at Fort Benning, Ga.; a second tour in Korea; Mississippi State University; Fort Leavenworth, Ks.; Fort Carson, Co.; Heidelberg, Germany; and Fort Myer, Va. Through every move, Beryl’s faith, warmth, and unfailing hospitality made each place feel like home. She rejoiced in the birth of two daughters—Paige (Nick) Beehan of Nashville, and Cam (George) Parks of Woodstock, Ga., and their children Samantha and Paul—praying daily for their safety, their joy, and their futures.
Upon Frank’s retirement, Beryl seamlessly transitioned to civilian life, remaining as active as ever in church, community service, and the lifelong pursuit of friendship. For more than 30 years in industry, she continued to pour herself out as a devoted wife, mother, and aunt—hostess extraordinaire, cherished confidante, and steadfast encourager.
“Princess,” as family and close friends lovingly called her, delighted in day trips hunting for that perfect, unexpected antique and lingering over lunch at her favorite café. She delighted in looking her best, not from vanity, but because she honored the Lord in all she did—inside and out.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Rose & Mann Funeral Home on May 6, at 12 p.m., with burial to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Tennessee Alzheimer’s Association.
Beryl Dowling’s legacy is written not in accolades or awards, but in the countless lives she touched—through prayer, hospitality, and the simple power of a well-tended friendship. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.