JOSEPH MICHAEL DOWNS

Joseph M. Downs passed away unexpectedly on July 4, 2022. Joe loved to hunt, fish, camp, and garden. He believed if a plant didn't have a purpose, it really did not belong in the yard.

Joe was born in Tucson, Arizona on May 13, 1932, to Nora and Joseph Downs. His mother was a nurse and his father worked for the State of Arizona Agricultural Stations. They moved from Tucson to Phoenix, then to New Mexico when his father got a job at the Soil Conservation Service in 1935 as the Plant Material Specialist in Albuquerque.

Joe attained Life Rank in the Boy Scouts and attended St. Mary's Catholic School in Albuquerque for 12 years; graduating in 1950.

Joe attended University of New Mexico after graduation before transferring to New Mexico A&M (now New Mexico State University). He graduated with a degree in Agriculture and entered the Army as an Infantry Officer where he served in

Germany in the Heavy Mortar Company of the 13th Infantry Regiment.

After leaving the Army with the rank of First Lieutenant, he worked in the Soils Lab in Lincoln, Nebraska while earning his master's degree in Agronomy. While he was there, he met the love of his life,

Mary at a Young Catholic Workers Meeting and they were married January 16,

1960.

After graduating, he worked for the US Soil Conservation Service where he was stationed in many different towns in the states of Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada,

Texas, and Utah. When he was stationed in Texas, he was on loan to NASA where he worked on the LANDSAT program. He was also active in the Soil Conservation Society where he and the family spent almost every summer traveling to their yearly conventions. While in Utah, he became an active member of the Knights of

Columbus.

Joe retired after 36 years in 1990. He and Mary moved back to Las Vegas, Nevada where they enjoyed traveling and made it to all seven continents. When not traveling, he volunteered at NARFE helping other Federal Employees navigate retirement.

He was preceded in death by his wife Mary, his children William and Loretta, his parents, his brother John Downs, his sister and brother-in-law Peggy and

Marv Burianek and sister-in-law Anna Downs. He leaves behind his daughters Kathleen Downs Ellison (Dan) of Ventura, California, Patricia Downs of Henderson, Nevada, Nancy Downs Gunn (Chris) of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin; three Grandchildren, Michael Ellison (Daniella), Steven Ellison (Diana) and Kathrine Downs; his brother George (Nanci), brother-in-law Jim (Barb) , sister-in-law Jodelle Downs, nieces and nephews: Cheryl Johnson, Michelle Benda (Butch), Wendy Merritt (Ken), Karen Peterson (Jim), Diane Foley (Kevin), Linda Kennedy (Ron), Mike Burianek (Kathleen), Janice Scott (Randy), BJ Downs, Mark Demars and Amy Demars.

A mass will be held on September 8, 2022, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Henderson, Nevada with Internment at the Nevada Veteran's Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada.

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