Obituary of Beverly Jean Downs

Beverly Jean (Burns) Downs, 79, of Duluth, passed away Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, in St. Luke's hospital. Beverly was born May 25, 1936, in Duluth, to Manley and Dorothy Burns. She graduated from Denfeld High School Cum Laude and from UMD Cum Laude. Beverly worked as an elementary teacher for the Duluth public schools then left teaching to raise her family. She was active at Hillside United Methodist Church and the Girl Scouts. Later in life she went back to school and earned a masters of special education degree and worked for the Duluth public schools as a special education teacher until retirement. Beverly enjoyed time at the cabin with her family. She loved reading and sharing her love of reading and learning with her grandchildren. Beverly is survived by her husband, John B. Downs; children John (Laura) Downs, Jeffrey (Edie) Downs, Julie (Jeffrey) Johnson, James Downs and Jeannie (Darren) Janzig; grandchildren Julia, Ryan, Tegan and Halle Downs, Kieran and Alydia Downs, Hannah and Sophie Janzig and Shelby and Lindsay Johnson; and sisters Patricia (Richard) Schmauss and Kathleen (Donald) Roach. VISITATION: 10 until the 11 a.m. memorial service Wednesday, Feb. 24, in Hillside Methodist Church, 1801 Piedmont Ave., Duluth.