John Whidden Downie

John (Jack) Whidden Downie, 92, formerly of Syracuse, New York and Asheville, North Carolina, died Wednesday, February 15, 2006, at his son’s home in Virginia surrounded by his family. Mr. Downie was the son of the late Fred and Georgena Downie and was preceded in death by his devoted and loving wife of 61 years Helen M. Downie and their daughter Mary L. Short. Mr. Downie was born in Carstairs, Alberta Canada and moved to Everett, Washington as a child. He graduated from Washington State University at Pullman with a degree in physics and worked for General Electric in New York State his entire career. He was on the board of the Syracuse Rescue Mission, and a founding member and elder at Eastern Hills Bible Church in Manlius, New York. After retiring to Asheville, North Carolina he attended Arden Presbyterian Church where he was an elder and a member of the choir. He is survived by two daughters Beth Post of Saratoga Springs, New York and Debi Ponder of Greer, South Carolina, four sons, Fred of Manlius, New York, Jim of Herndon, Virginia, Tom of Arlington, Virginia, and Dave of Asheville, North Carolina, 23 grand children, and 5 great grand children. He is also survived by a sister Louisa Miller of Apache Junction, Arizona, and a brother Dick of Fairfax, Virginia. The funeral service will be at 10:00 am Saturday in the Chapel of Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, North Carolina and will be conducted by the Rev. Ed Graham and Charles Martin. Entombment will follow at Lewis Memorial Park. His family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to: The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201.