Sarah Lash Dowdspassed away peacefully on January 7, 2019 in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Sarah was born in 1940 to Merrill and Isabell (Johnson) Lash and grew up on the family farm on Calland Rd. in West Liberty, Ohio. She graduated from Northwestern University where she majored in Political Science and was a member of Chi Omega sorority. After graduation, she married the love of her life, David Dowds in 1962. The newlyweds briefly lived in Columbus, OH while Dave finished graduate school and then moved to New York City where she developed a deep passion for the arts, particularly a life-long love of opera. Upon the birth of their first child they returned to Ohio, settling in Upper Arlington for 18 years where Sarah was an active volunteer with her daughters' schools, and Columbus' museum, symphony and opera. She was a talented seamstress and designed creative costumes for numerous productions at Players Theater.

In 1986, Dave and Sarah moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where Sarah helped Dave run their newly acquired furniture business. She then moved on to work at Borders bookstore-- a job for which she could not have been better suited.

Sarah was a voracious reader and could recommend a book to satisfy any type of individual or mood, and could answer even the most obscure literary questions. Upon retirement, Sarah and Dave traveled the world with adventurous trips to Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, China, Indonesia, Africa and the Galapagos Islands. The birth of their first granddaughter drew them to New Hampshire where they spent the last 12 summers showering her (and later a second granddaughter) with love and affection. In November 2018, Sarah and Dave relocated permanently to Lebanon, NH to be closer to their family.

Sarah will be remembered for her unrivaled literary prowess, deep intellect, dry sense of humor, wonderful culinary skills, appreciation of a good dirty martini and her overall elegance and sophistication. She was an ardent believer in civil liberty and was never afraid to voice her opinion. More than anything in the world, she cherished her friends both old and new, and family – particularly her two granddaughters who were the apples of her eye.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Dave; daughters Patricia Harrison (David) of Hanover, NH, and Eva Barnes (Brian) of Newton, MA; granddaughters Isabel Harrison and Charlotte Barnes; and many many cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. February 2, with a reception to follow at Indianola Presbyterian Church in Columbus, OH. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care in Lebanon, NH. https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/donate/how-to-give.html