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Joan Downes
Posted 10/26/06
Joan (Woodworth) Downes, 94 MILTON - Joan (Woodworth) Downes. of Milton, formerly of Rehoboth Beach, passed away peacefully in her daughter"s home in Milton. She was 94. Mrs. Downes was born Aug. 10, …
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Joan Downes
Posted
Joan (Woodworth) Downes, 94
MILTON - Joan (Woodworth) Downes. of Milton, formerly of Rehoboth Beach, passed away peacefully in her daughter"s home in Milton. She was 94.
Mrs. Downes was born Aug. 10, 1912, in Cleveland.
After losing her parents and identical twin sisters in a flu epidemic in 1918, she was raised by her aunt and uncle who ran a health food store. She always attributed her long and healthy life to her vegetarian upbringing.
Mrs. Downes graduated from Catholic High School in 1926 at the age of 14. She was one of three female students at the University of Wisconsin where she eventually majored in medicine. She was the only woman to do so at that time.
After losing her fiance in her last year of pre-med, she quit and moved to New York, where she met her husband, a prosecuting attorney. They moved to Rehoboth Beach in 1938. They built their home on Tidewater Street in Henlopen Acres, where they raised their five children.
Mrs. Downes retired from Beebe Medical Center, Lewes.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Schoch Downes, in 1956.
She is survived by five children, JoAnne (Downes) Whealton of Milton, John Michael Downes of Rockhall, Md., Dana (Downes) Long of Milton, Lucy (Downes) Casey of Cocoa Beach, Fla., and Oliver Lee Downes of Milton; 14 grandchildren, Laura Downes of Lewes, John Michael Downes Jr. of Dagsboro, Dara (Downes) Hearn of Lewes, Chris D. Long of Lewes, Randy D. Long of Milton, Natalie (Downes) Doney of Annapolis, Md., Bridget (Downes) Buckaloo of Lewes, Amy (Downes) Baker of Oklahoma City, Molly (Downes) Foraker of Salisbury, Md., Jeremy James of Orlando, Fla., Kate (Downes) Walker of Georgetown, Matthew Downes Long of Rehoboth Beach, Carol (Downes) Zigman of Sussex County and Debbie Downes of the Midwest; and 26 great-grandchildren.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Beebe Medical Center Foundation, 902 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958; SPCA, 22918 DuPont Blvd., Georgetown, DE 19947; or a charity of one"s choice.
Arrangements by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.
MILTON - Joan (Woodworth) Downes. of Milton, formerly of Rehoboth Beach, passed away peacefully in her daughter"s home in Milton. She was 94.
Mrs. Downes was born Aug. 10, 1912, in Cleveland.
After losing her parents and identical twin sisters in a flu epidemic in 1918, she was raised by her aunt and uncle who ran a health food store. She always attributed her long and healthy life to her vegetarian upbringing.
Mrs. Downes graduated from Catholic High School in 1926 at the age of 14. She was one of three female students at the University of Wisconsin where she eventually majored in medicine. She was the only woman to do so at that time.
After losing her fiance in her last year of pre-med, she quit and moved to New York, where she met her husband, a prosecuting attorney. They moved to Rehoboth Beach in 1938. They built their home on Tidewater Street in Henlopen Acres, where they raised their five children.
Mrs. Downes retired from Beebe Medical Center, Lewes.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Schoch Downes, in 1956.
She is survived by five children, JoAnne (Downes) Whealton of Milton, John Michael Downes of Rockhall, Md., Dana (Downes) Long of Milton, Lucy (Downes) Casey of Cocoa Beach, Fla., and Oliver Lee Downes of Milton; 14 grandchildren, Laura Downes of Lewes, John Michael Downes Jr. of Dagsboro, Dara (Downes) Hearn of Lewes, Chris D. Long of Lewes, Randy D. Long of Milton, Natalie (Downes) Doney of Annapolis, Md., Bridget (Downes) Buckaloo of Lewes, Amy (Downes) Baker of Oklahoma City, Molly (Downes) Foraker of Salisbury, Md., Jeremy James of Orlando, Fla., Kate (Downes) Walker of Georgetown, Matthew Downes Long of Rehoboth Beach, Carol (Downes) Zigman of Sussex County and Debbie Downes of the Midwest; and 26 great-grandchildren.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Beebe Medical Center Foundation, 902 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958; SPCA, 22918 DuPont Blvd., Georgetown, DE 19947; or a charity of one"s choice.
Arrangements by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.
