Erin Presley-Dowd
Alton | Save
Erin Nicole Presley-Dowd, 34, went to be with the Lord at 6:07 p.m. on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at Alton Memorial Hospital after a long battle with Friedreich's Ataxia, a form of Muscular Dystrophy.
She was born on November 22, 1990, in Alton, IL, the daughter of David and Janet (McGhee) Presley.
Erin graduated from Alton High School in 2008 and received the Silver Alpha Award-an extraordinary achievement, especially as she was home-schooled. She attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; living on campus for one semester before transferring to Lewis and Clark Community College, where she earned her Associate's Degree.
Erin was quite the entrepreneur-creating handmade cards and journals for others and helping her dad with printing projects. She loved playing Dungeons Dragons with friends, video games, creating art, and was a true music enthusiast.
She is survived by her loving husband in spirit, Kyle Dowd of Alton; her mother, Janet Presley of Alton; sister and brother-in-law, Ashley and Joel Nelson of Edwardsville, IL; brother and sister-in-law, Jeffrey and Michelle Dossett of Troy, IL; brother-in-law, Ryan Dowd of Jacksonville, IL; and nieces and nephew: Madeline Nelson of Edwardsville, James, Alice, and Caroline Dossett of Troy, IL, and Quinn and Connor Dowd of Chatham, IL.
She also leaves behind her aunts and uncles: Edward and Judith Benvenuti of Lake City, FL, John and Jennifer McGhee of Beaumont, TX, and Cory and Julie Gallivan of Godfrey, IL; her in-laws, Rick and Shary Dowd of Shiloh, IL; and many cherished cousins, friends, and fur babies.
She was preceded in death by her father, David Presley; her grandparents, James and Mary McGhee, Addie McGhee, and Phillip "Raymond" and Ruth J. "Joanie" (Buckley) Presley; her aunt and uncle, Randall and Jackie Crane; and a brother-in-law, Brandon Dowd.
Erin was a proud superhero enthusiast-her favorites being Wonder Woman and Poison Ivy. She was also a devoted Harry Potter fan, proudly representing Ravenclaw.
In honor of Erin’s love for superheroes and all things nerdy, the family encourages everyone attending the visitation to wear superhero or fandom-themed shirts.
Erin generously donated her body to Saint Louis University School of Medicine in hopes of finding a cure for her disease.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until the time of the memorial service at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, September 12, 2025 at Elias, Kallal Schaaf Funeral Home in Bethalto, with Pastor Terry McKinzie officiating.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff at Alton Memorial Hospital for the compassionate care they provided.
Memorials may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Make-A-Wish Foundation, or the 5A’s Animal Shelter.
Online condolences and the guestbook may be found at www.eliaskallalandschaaf.com.
Elias, Kallal & Schaaf Funeral Home
