Zhenya K. Wine-McDowell, 51, of Rock Island, formerly of Columbus, OH, died Thursday, June 2, 2011 at Trinity Rock Island. Services will be held at 7 pm Monday, at the Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, 3030 7th Ave., Rock Island. Visitation will be from 4 pm to service time. Memorials may be made to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker House in Rock Island, or in care of the family.
Zhenya was born September 16, 1959 in Russia, the daughter of Richard and Bella Kurashova Adler. After graduating from high school, she worked for the Soviet Olympic Team before moving to Columbus, Ohio in 1980. Zhenya married Joseph McDowell on December 4th, 1982 in Columbus and had two children, Jacob and Nathan.
Zhenya moved to Rock Island in 1991, where she started her own company, K.I., Inc., and worked as an occupational therapist for 18 years. K.I. Inc. was established in order to teach her particular therapy, or neuro-muscular re-education, and changed the way occupational therapy is performed to this day. She closed in 2006 due to her illness.
Zhenya was a woman of many interests and hobbies. She was an avid knitter who had work featured in Better Homes and Gardens. She loved to garden, and was awarded best garden in the Quad Cities in 2006. She was also an avid writer, and besides writing the manuals for her unique therapy she was an amateur children's author. Zhenya made her impact in many more personal ways with her generosity. Besides donating food and energy to many social work organizations, she nourished and supported a large network of friends and family who she will continue to be remembered by.
Zhenya is survived by her sons, Jacob and Nathan McDowell, both of Rock Island; parents, Richard and Bella Adler, of Columbus, OH; step-brother, Richard (Marci)Adler, of Arvada, CO; and step-sister Shari (David) Wheeler, of Columbus, OH; and three nieces and one nephew.
A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, June 9, 4:30 PM at Vineyard Columbus, 6000 Cooper Road, Westerville, OH 43081.