Obituary of Irene E. Dowling

Irene Dowling, 53, of the Montgomery County town of Charleston NY, died Wednesday December 14th, at Albany Medical Center. Irene had been in good health, but suffered a brain aneurysm on Sunday December 12th at her home, and passed beyond awareness within a few hours. Irene was born May 7, 1957 in Catskill, NewYork, to Leo Lesar and Charlotte Svidro. She was a long time resident of Poughkeepsie until she and her husband moved to Charleston in 2002. Irene and Tom were married November 14, 1998. Since moving to Charleston she has been active in the local equestrian community. She served for several years on the town of Charleston Planning Board. As a person in recovery for twenty six years, she has remained active in the support fellowships. Irene earned her Bachelor of Arts degree at Hartwick College in Oneonta in 1978, and her Masters of Arts Degree in Counseling at Marist College in Poughkeepsie in 1981. She earned her New York State Alcoholism Counselor credential in 1984, and the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor credential in 1991. In 2006 she was awarded the New York State Mental Health Counselor license. Her career spanned twenty one years, and included positions in Alcoholism detox and rehabilitation programs, student assistance programs, and adolescent and family therapy. From 1989 - 1996 she worked for the Dutchess County Council on Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency as a student assistance counselor in the local school districts. Her professional "pinnacle" position was with Pius XII Youth and Family Services, from 1996 - 2001, where she was an Adolescent and Family Therapist in the Gateway Clinic, serving the Newburgh City High School. In 2001 she and her husband, Tom, moved to Charleston, NY where Irene retired to fulfill her lifelong dream of having her own horse farm. Hearts Haven Farm, established in 2002, is the home of Irene and Tom's three horses, and a boarding stable catering to trail riders. Irene also gave beginner riding lessons, and found great satisfaction in introducing very young children to the joy of friendships with horses. Irene is survived by her husband, Tom; her mother, Charlotte Svidro, of Catskill, NY; brothers Steven and Martin Svidro of Catskill, NY; sister Heike Roth and niece and nephew Olivia and Marcus, of Plantsville CT; and her sister Joanne Svidro and niece Kyra of Catskill. A memorial service will be held at 2:30PM on Saturday December 18, at the United Methodist Church, 11 Montgomery Street, Fultonville, NY. Irene has donated her organs, so that others may live and enjoy health, so please say a prayer that her organs will live on in good health in the bodies of those who are receiving this precious gift of life. The family asks that rather than sending flowers, Irene be remembered in a donation to a Horse Recue Organization listed below. Crane Mountain Valley Horse Rescue, 7556 NYS Route 9N, Westport, NY 12993 518-623-3470 CMVHR.org Nancy Van Wie and Eddie Mrozik Double L Stable Equine Rescue (affiliated with PaSPCA), 9 Tilford Road, Argyle, NY, 12809 518-638-6929 manemare04@aol.com Shannon Hahn ReRun NY (Thoroughbred specific), New York Chapter, 1738 County Route 57, Fulton, NY 13126 315-598-2898 rerunTB@yahoo.com rerun.org/newyork.html Susan Swart