Mrs. Elizabeth Smith Dowdy, 99, affectionately known as "Mom," "Betty" "Aunt Betty", "Aunt Sister,"…and "Sister" (even by the community in Terre Haute, IN), was born on September 23, 1919, in Terre Haute, Indiana to the late Lemuel Smith and Etolia Holt Smith. She passed peacefully at her home in Greensboro, North Carolina, after a long and spirit-filled life. While growing up, Elizabeth and her three younger brothers were raised by faithful, loving, diligent and innovative parents and relatives living nearby. Also, they were supported by a close-knit church family and community and by remarkable, dedicated teachers. She was educated in the Terre Haute public school system. At the age of fifteen, she entered Indiana State University, also in Terre Haute, and graduated at the age of nineteen. After graduation, she moved to Goldsboro, North Carolina for her first teaching position. She met Lewis Dowdy, her future husband, in Goldsboro and they were married at her home in Terre Haute on June 26, 1943. As a young couple, Mrs. Dowdy and her husband Lewis pursued teaching careers in South Carolina. During the summers, they journeyed back to Terre Haute to continue their education. She and her husband earned their master's degrees at Indiana State University in 1949. They moved to Greensboro in 1951 with their two young sons. Mrs. Dowdy continued her teaching career in the Greensboro public schools. She and her husband were blessed with a daughter born on December 31, 1956. Mrs. Dowdy was the devoted wife of the late Lewis Carnegie Dowdy, sixth president and the first chancellor of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. As the wife of N.C. A&T's president and chancellor, Mrs. Dowdy served the university community, university visitors and the community-at-large with grace and compassion. Fervently supporting her husband and all his efforts, she was a mainstay and dedicated supporter of the university. Mrs. Dowdy continued her teaching career throughout her husband's tenure as A&T's president and chancellor. She retired from teaching in 1981 after a career that spanned 38 years in North and South Carolina. Mrs. Dowdy was a member of several service organizations including the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, The Links Inc. and the Alpha Wives. She was also an organizing member of the Greensboro chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. She and her late husband were dedicated members of Providence Baptist Church. After she retired from teaching, Mrs. Dowdy helped start, and was very active in, the church's Christian Fellowship Hour. She shared her literary talents by writing a play performed at the Fellowship Hour entitled "The Emerging Butterfly." Mrs. Dowdy had many other talents. Not only was she a great cook, she was an excellent artist, her penmanship was flawless, and she was a superb pianist. Uplifting and supporting family members was of upmost importance to her. She was the matriarch of her birth family and her husband's family. Throughout Dr. Dowdy's career at A&T, he and Mrs. Dowdy welcomed many family members and others to stay at their home while they attended A&T. Mrs. Dowdy was preceded in death by parents, husband, and three brothers: George Lemuel Smith, David Nicholas Smith and Joseph Edward Smith. Mrs. Dowdy leaves to cherish her memory: children, Lewis Dowdy, Jr. (Patricia) of Charlotte, N.C., Lemuel Dowdy (Cynthia) of Southern Pines, N.C., Elizabeth Dowdy King of Greensboro; five grandchildren, Donna Dowdy, Sherron Ledbetter, Lemuel Dowdy, Jr., Maria King, Jordan King; and three great-grandchildren, DeJoire Barnes, Jordan Dowdy, Kherrington Ledbetter and a host of extended family and friends. A service honoring her life will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at Providence Baptist Church; 1106 Tuscaloosa St. Greensboro, NC. Visitation will begin at 10:30am with service following at 11am.