Mildred Faulkner Downs

Downs Services for Mildred Faulkner Downs, 90, of Avinger were held Dec. 19, at the First Baptist Church of Avinger. Interment was in Avinger Cemetery under the direction of Downs Funeral Home of Marshall. Mrs. Downs was born Nov. 18, 1923, in Frankston, to Troy Clifton and Clemie Gay Faulkner, and died Dec. 15. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Avinger, and was a Sunday school teacher. She married Arthur E. Downs on Oct. 31, 1942, in Avinger, and he preceded her in death on Aug. 2, 2013. Mrs. Downs retired from First State Bank of Avinger as vice president and cashier in 1999 after 37 years of service. She was the treasurer of the Avinger Cemetery Association for about 20 years. Mrs. Downs is survived by her daughter, Demeris Jacobs and husband, Douglas of Avinger; sons, Troy Downs and wife, Susan of Avinger, Boyce Downs and wife, Pam of Avinger; 14 grandchildren, Darryl and Suanna Jacobs of Texarkana, Ark., Darrin and Tammi Jacobs of Pittsburgh, Pa., Darlene Jacobs of Avinger, Amy and Darrell Youngblood of Avinger, Sheri and Raymond Pearson of Harleton, Karen and Tony Harrison of Hughes Springs, Terri and Chris Rhodes of Kaufman, Troy Jay 'T.J.' and Nathaniel Burgess of Tyler, Rusty Pate of Wasilla, Alaska, Angie Greene of Longview, Aaron Pate of Tyler, Heather and Jeff Caperton of East Mountain, Marc Downs of Austin, and Kyle Downs and fiancée, Victoria McReynolds of Avinger; brother and sister-in-law, Clifton Gay and Dorcus Faulkner of Marshall; 25 great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; and a number of other family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and two brothers, Author Donald Faulkner and Norman Dale Faulkner. Pallbearers were Darryl Jacobs, Darrin Jacobs, Justin Jacobs, Truitt Duncan, Austin Youngblood, Ashton Youngblood, Collin Jacobs, Marc Downs and Kyle Downs. Honorary pallbearers will be Darrell Youngblood, Raymond Pearson, Tony Harrison, Chris Rhodes, Jacob Duncan and Jeff Caperton.