Services for Wilford "Willie" Melvin McDowell, Kansas City, Kan. were held Tuesday in Maple Hill Funeral Home. Graveside services were held Tuesday afternoon in Osawatomie Cemetery.

Mr. McDowell, a former Osawatomie resident, died Saturday of a massive heart attack while mowing a lawn at some rental property he owned in Kansas City, Kansas. He was 55.

Born May 27, 1931 in Paola, he was the son of Roy and Ida Groves McDowell. After the death of his mother, he was raised by Mr. and Mrs. Everett Brockman, rural Osawatomie.

He attended area schools and graduated from Osawatomie High School in 1949. Before moving to the Kansas City area about 30 years ago, he was employed as a machinist for the Missouri Pacific Railroad in Osawatomie.

At the time of his death, he was a pipeline welder for Universal Pipeline Constructors Inc. He held memberships in Local 798 of the Pipeline Welders Union, Tulsa, Okla. and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 921 of Osawatomie.

Survivors include three daughters, Connie R. Bowden, Olathe, and Doris Wallace and Christine King, Kansas City, Kan.; three brothers, Basil McDowell, Freeport, Texas, Everett S. McDowell, Irving, Texas, and Dwane McDowell, Osawatomie; two sisters, Wanda Hazen, Kansas City, Kan. and Veda Whitehurst, Ardmore, Okla.; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Honorary pallbearers were Ellis Smith, Mike Kuder, Dave Harter, Bob Jackson, Ronnie King and Tom Burington.