Mother of Two Dies in Shrewsbury

Deborah A. (Dowd) Stencel, 55, of Bumble Bee Circle, Shrewsbury, died Friday, July 13.

She leaves her husband of 30 years, James E. “Jay” Stencel of Shrewsbury; a daughter, Jennifer, 26 of Nashville, TN; a son, Jason, 24, of Shrewsbury; her mother, Shirley M. (Murphy) Dowd of Paxton; five brothers, Dr. Dennis J., Kevin R., and Andrew J. Dowd of Paxton, Stephen M. Dowd of Spencer and Richard J. Dowd of North Attleboro; and is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Deborah was born July 22, 1956 in Worcester to Shirley M. and the late Dr. Richard J. Dowd. She graduated from Notre Dame Academy in Worcester in 1974. She received her R.N. from Hahnemann Hospital School of Nursing in 1979 and her bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN) in 1983 from Worcester State College.

She worked at Marlborough Hospital for 33 years as a nurse and later as a nurse case manager. She previously belonged to the Massachusett's Nurses' Association and the Massachusetts Mental Health Nurses' Association.

She enjoyed tending to her flowers and spending time with her family and close friends. She will be remembered as a caring, dedicated, selfless and loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend.

A funeral Mass celebrating Deborah’s life will be held on Wednesday, July 18, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Anne’s Church, 130 Boston Tpke., Shrewsbury. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Deborah Stencel Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Central One Federal Credit Union, 714 Main St., Shrewsbury, MA 01545.