Juanita B. Downs - Asheville Citizen-Times
Waynesville - Juanita B. Downs, 86, of 105 Daniel Lane, Waynesville, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2003, at her residence.
She was born April 24, 1917, on Hurricane Creek in Haywood County to the late Joel Fletcher and Maggie Rogers Brown. Juanita lived all her life in Haywood County with the exception of five years spent in Newport News, Va., where she and her husband, Rufus, worked during World War II. After the war she returned to Lake Junaluska, where she was very active in her community. She was a member of Long's Chapel United Methodist Church, serving for more than 77 years.
Juanita enjoyed a lifelong love of farming. She served 25 years with Haywood County Farm Bureau in various roles from board of directors to becoming the first woman president in the Western part of North Carolina. She traveled extensively with Farm Bureau as a voting delegate helping to bring about change to Western North Carolina farmers. Her travels took her to Hawaii and the Western United States. Juanita was recently selected as one of the Women of Haywood County, where she was pictured operating her tractor on her farm at the age of 81.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Rufus Edgar Downs, who passed away in 1979. She was the youngest of eight children born to Joel and Maggie Brown in a log cabin on Hurricane Creek. Her late sister, Major Cecil Brown, established the Salvation Army Mission at Maples Spring.
Juanita is survived by her son, Joseph Lloyd Downs and his wife, Cindy Lowman Downs, of Rock Hill, S.C.; two grandsons, Rufus Joel Downs of Simpsonville, S.C., and Donavan Daniel Horlacher of Spartanburg, S.C.; and sister, Oleta B. Allen of Waynesville.
The funeral services for Juanita will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Garrett Funerals and Cremations chapel and then laid to rest amidst tall pine trees overlooking her farm in the Brown Family Cemetery on Hurricane Creek alongside her husband Rufus on land bought by her grandfather in 1856. Pallbearers will be Alvin Jerome Brown, Harland E. Brown, Frank D. Brown, Johnny Mac Brown, Robert L. Brown and Charles Allen Ferguson. Honorary pallbearers will be Haywood County Farm Bureau board of directors.
The Rev. Woody Adams of Long's Chapel United Methodist Church will officiate along with the Rev. James H. Moore. Special speakers will be Rufus Brown, Don Smart and Clifford Tipton.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Garrett Funerals and Cremations are in charge of the arrangements. An online memorial registry is available at www.legacy.com.
Published: 2003-10-09
Juanita B. Downs - Asheville Citizen-Times
Waynesville - Juanita B. Downs, 86, of 105 Daniel Lane, Waynesville, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2003, at her residence.
She was born April 24, 1917, on Hurricane Creek in Haywood County to the late Joel Fletcher and Maggie Rogers Brown. Juanita lived all her life in Haywood County with the exception of five years spent in Newport News, Va., where she and her husband, Rufus, worked during World War II. After the war she returned to Lake Junaluska, where she was very active in her community. She was a member of Long's Chapel United Methodist Church, serving for more than 77 years.
Juanita enjoyed a lifelong love of farming. She served 25 years with Haywood County Farm Bureau in various roles from board of directors to becoming the first woman president in the Western part of North Carolina. She traveled extensively with Farm Bureau as a voting delegate helping to bring about change to Western North Carolina farmers. Her travels took her to Hawaii and the Western United States. Juanita was recently selected as one of the Women of Haywood County, where she was pictured operating her tractor on her farm at the age of 81.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Rufus Edgar Downs, who passed away in 1979. She was the youngest of eight children born to Joel and Maggie Brown in a log cabin on Hurricane Creek. Her late sister, Major Cecil Brown, established the Salvation Army Mission at Maples Spring.
Juanita is survived by her son, Joseph Lloyd Downs and his wife, Cindy Lowman Downs, of Rock Hill, S.C.; two grandsons, Rufus Joel Downs of Simpsonville, S.C., and Donavan Daniel Horlacher of Spartanburg, S.C.; and sister, Oleta B. Allen of Waynesville.
The funeral services for Juanita will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Garrett Funerals and Cremations chapel and then laid to rest amidst tall pine trees overlooking her farm in the Brown Family Cemetery on Hurricane Creek alongside her husband Rufus on land bought by her grandfather in 1856. Pallbearers will be Alvin Jerome Brown, Harland E. Brown, Frank D. Brown, Johnny Mac Brown, Robert L. Brown and Charles Allen Ferguson. Honorary pallbearers will be Haywood County Farm Bureau board of directors.
The Rev. Woody Adams of Long's Chapel United Methodist Church will officiate along with the Rev. James H. Moore. Special speakers will be Rufus Brown, Don Smart and Clifford Tipton.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Garrett Funerals and Cremations are in charge of the arrangements. An online memorial registry is available at www.legacy.com.
Published: 2003-10-09
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