In memoriam: Norma Dowd Krentz, mother of Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C.

Published:August 13, 2024

Author:Dennis Brown

Norma Dowd Krentz, the mother of University of Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., died Sunday morning at her home in South Bend. She was 88.

Born in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Mrs. Krentz graduated from Presentation Academy in Louisville, Kentucky, and lived for many years in Michigan City, Indiana. She retired as a statistical engineer from the Northern Indiana Public Service Company after previously working as a legal secretary for the Michigan City law firm Kenefick, Brennan and Gilmore.

She is survived by Father Dowd; her daughter, Mary (Jim) Wiegand; 13 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; her brother Charles Schafer Jr.; a stepdaughter, Lynn (Sanjiv) Mittal; two stepsons, Tim (Michele) Krentz and Richard (Denise) Krentz; and many nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Krentz was preceded in death by her husband, Harvey Krentz; parents, Charles and Flora Schafer; sisters, Mary Anderson and Flora Wessel; brother James Schafer; and a stepdaughter, Sally Finck.

Visitation will be from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Friday (Aug. 16) in Notre Dame's Basilica of the Sacred Heart, followed by a Mass of Christian burial. A private burial will take place at Greenwood Cemetery in Michigan City at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the following:

• Holy Cross Mission Center - donate.holycrossmissions.org or Holy Cross Mission Center, P.O. Box 543, Notre Dame, IN 46556-0543
• The Transformational Leaders Program at Notre Dame - giveto.nd.edu/dowd-memorial
• The Hospice Foundation's Center for Hospice Care - foundationforhospice.org or Center for Hospice Care, 501 Comfort Place, Mishawaka, IN 46545

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