Search all obituaries on iBerkshires.com:
 Gertrude Nora Downing
September 13, 2005
Gertrude Nora Downing, 87, of 28 Howard St., died Tuesday at Berkshire Medical Center following a brief illness.
Born in East Boston on Oct. 31, 1917, daughter of Thomas and Mary Murphy Martin, she was a 1936 graduate of East Boston High School.
She moved to Pittsfield in 1948 and was an active member of the community.
Mrs. Downing was employed for 17 years as the guidance secretary at St. Joseph's High School. Previously, she was a school aide and volunteer at the former Rice and Tucker schools.
A communicant of St. Teresa's Church, she was a past member of its Parish Council and Holy Rosary Society.
She was a Hospice grief counselor for 20 years, and a member of the Good Shepherd Community and the Third Order of St. Dominic.
Her husband, John F. Downing Sr., died in 1961.
She leaves five daughters, Roberta Breen of Billerica, Elaine Hale of Danvers, MaryAnn Matthews of Trumbull, Conn., Margaret Downing, with whom she made her home, and Marie Vanluling of Newbury Park; three sons, John F. "Jack" Downing of Pittsfield, Joseph D. Downing of Cambridge, and Michael B. Downing of Ipswich; a brother, Edward T. Martin of Dennis; a sister, Mary A. Martin of South Weymouth, 30 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by another son, former Berkshire County District Attorney Gerard D. Downing.
FUNERAL NOTICE -- The funeral for Gertrude Nora Downing, age 87, who died Sept. 13, 2005, will be Friday at 10:30 with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Teresa's Church, celebrated by the Rev. John J. Varley, pastor.
Burial will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery. A post-funeral reception will follow the burial services at St. Joseph's High School. There will be no calling hours. The family requests the omission of flowers.
If friends desire, memorial donations may be made to the Gertrude Downing Tuition Assistance Fund at St. Joseph's High School in care of DEVANNY-CONDRON FUNERAL HOME. She is also survived by her daughters-in-law, Mary Downing and Pamela Downing, sons-in-law, Robert Matthews, Peter Bryant, William Hale, and Dirk Vanluling, and sisters-in-law, Terry Martin and Marge Martin.
She was predeceased by a grandson, John Downing; a son-in-law, Richard Breen; a brother, William Martin, and two sisters, Estelle Flanagan and Sister Marie Therese O.P.
| No Comments have been left |
|
