Seymour Daily Tribune
January 21, 2002
Cecil Downs

Cecil Downs, 86, North Vernon, died at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, 2002, at Jennings Health Care Center.
He was a coal miner in Cordova, Ala. And was a finished carpenter in Florida. He worked locally for Ferguson Construction. He moved to Jennings County in 1970, from Hollywood, Fla. He lived in Indianapolis for 14 months and moved back to North Vernon in 1996. He was a member of the Butlerville Mennonite Church.
Born Aug. 23, 1915, in Walker County, Ala., he was the son of George and Belzonie “Zaddie” Dover Downs. On Aug. 5, 1934, in Manchester, Ala., he married Aileen Lane, and she died Jan. 9, 2000.
Survivors include three sons, Billy Ray Downs, Foley, Ala., J.C. Downs, Columbus and George Downs, North Vernon; two daughters, Shirley Eason, Glenrock, Wyo. and Linda Thistlewaite, Indianapolis; a brother, Vergi Downs, Jasper, Ala.; 25 grandchildren; 45 great-grandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Willard, Clifford and Junior Downs; three sisters, Sarah Reece, Barbara Ann Downs and Virginia Guthrie; and a great-grandson, Travis Downs.
Garland Rudd will conduct funeral services at noon Tuesday at Butlerville Mennonite Church. Burial will be in Vernon Cemetery.
Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Pickett Funeral Home, North Vernon, and from 11 a.m. until time of service on Tuesday at the church.