Margaret Steed Downs

September 1, 1926 - January 29, 2020

Margaret Jewell Steed Downs was born at the Lewis Steed Dairy Farm near Randleman, North Carolina, on September 1, 1926. She died January 29, 2020 in Union County Hospice at the age of 93, a year after the passing of her beloved husband, Robert E. Downs. She was a woman of great religious faith and worked tirelessly as a devoted Southern Baptist. Her religious outreach ministry for children, which included flannelgraph, touched thousands of young lives in the neighborhoods and churches Margaret embraced. In the years before her passing she was a loyal member of Ebenezer Baptist Church. In her spare time, she enjoyed floral gardening, canning summer vegetables, baking Christmas cookies, and playing Candy Crush, where she achieved level 778. Most of all, though, Margaret loved the time spent with family and friends and she will be fondly remembered. Margaret is survived by her three children: Glenn R. Gaffney, Cherry Gaffney, Colonel (US Army Ret.), and Samuel L. Gaffney with his partner Lorri Couick; her five grandchildren: Cate Collier with husband Charley Collier, Christopher Downs with wife Dayna Downs, Anna Downs, Maggie Downs, and Daniel Downs, and two great grandchildren: Max Collier and Sophia Collier; Bob’s three children Ginny Downs with husband John Campbell, Cindy with husband Jesse, and Pastor Scott Downs with wife Judith Downs; as well as numerous other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Robert, on November 3, 2018. Margaret’s family has given the family of Lowe-Neddo Funeral Home the privilege of caring for her and for them. A gathering and services to celebrate her life, love and blessing will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, 1417 W. Unionville Indian Trail Road, Indian Trail NC 28079. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM followed by a service to begin at 11:45. After the service, all are invited to join with the family as their mother and grandmother is taken in formal procession to her final place of earthly rest next to Robert at Lakeland Memorial Park, 1901 Lancaster Ave, Monroe, NC 28112. On behalf of the family, thank you for keeping them in thought, prayer and deed during this time. Your acts of kindness, both done and yet to be, are sincerely appreciated. Please take a moment to visit Margaret’s online memorial at www.LoweNeddoFuneralHome.com to share memories, photos and condolences.