Jane C. Downey

Jane Curtin Downey of Homestead Village, Lancaster, PA died at Essa Florey Center on December 28, 2010. She was born in 1918 in Bellefonte, the fourth of five children of John Curtin and Jane Furst Curtin. She graduated in 1939 from Penn State University with a degree in International Business. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta fraternity. She was married for 55 years to Howard Downey, who died in 1997. In the years following Howard's service in World War II, the Downeys lived in New Holland, Minneapolis, and Lancaster, and then in England and Belgium in addition to traveling worldwide for Sperry New Holland. After retirement they lived in Naples, Florida for 16 years prior to returning to Lancaster in 1992. Jane and her family were charter members of Highland Presbyterian Church where she served as a Trustee in addition to staffing the church's business office in its early years. She was a board member of Lancaster Day Nursery and Lancaster Mental Health Association. After passing the course given by the local Blind Association, she became a certified Braillest and transcribed books for the Library of Congress. In Lancaster and Naples she was a tutor for the Literacy Volunteers of America and taught English as a second language. She was a long-time Hospice of Lancaster volunteer, and gave many hours at Schreiber Pediatric Center. A member of The Lancaster Country Club, she chaired the Women's Golf Association. In addition to golf, she enjoyed bridge, traveling, gardening, and puzzles. She was preceded in death by her three brothers and sister. Surviving her are her children Anne, wife of Eugene Gardner, of Lancaster; Howard, husband of Patricia Doohan, of West Palm Beach FL; and Thomas, husband of Suzanne Baughman, of Claremont CA. Her grandchildren are Eugene Gardner and Victoria Coates; Gretchen Martin, Claire Downey, and Mollie Downey. She was Nana Great to her seven great grandchildren Caroline, Victoria, Abigail, and Grace Gardner; Gardner and Gowen Coates; Teddy Martin. A memorial service will be scheduled by the family at a later date (please check The Groffs website for Service information). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Lancaster County, 685 Good Drive, P.O. Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604-4125, and to Highland Presbyterian Church, 500 East Roseville Road Lancaster, PA 17601.