Dowd v. Dowd

WIEAND, Judge:

The trial court found that Alma E. Dowd was not lawfully married to John R. Dowd and dismissed her petition for support. She appealed. We reverse and remand.

Appellant had previously been married to Richard Boyer, who served in the United States Navy during World War II. In 1943, Boyer’s mother “passed the word” that Boyer was dead. In 1960, John R. Dowd asked appellant to live with him as his wife, and the two began cohabitation. In that same year, appellee took appellant’s prior marriage certificate and caused the name of John R. Dowd to be inserted in place of Boyer’s.…