Dolores Marie (McClosky) Downs

Dolores M. Downs of the 4 Court of Crescent Road in Greenbelt died on Wednesday, July 19, at Riderwood Village in Silver Spring. Dolores (Dee) and her husband Jack lived in Greenbelt for the last 70 years. Dee was surrounded by family.

In addition to raising eight children, Dee attended college at Trinity Washington University and obtained her bachelor’s in Theology.

As founding members of the 38-year-old Catholic Community of Greenbelt, Jack and Dee enjoyed the fellowship of very committed members, and a range of traveling Catholic priests. The group began services in the old Greenbelt Theater and moved to the Greenbelt Municipal Building, where they still meet Sunday mornings.

In their early years in Greenbelt, Dee and Jack devoted time to the Cana Club. They were active in Marriage Encounter, Handicapped Encounter Christ (HEC), and Encountering Christ in Others (ECHO) as well as a local meditation group.

Dee and Jack traveled extensively, including trips Travels in the Footsteps of Paul, where they visited Greece and Turkey, and several trips to Israel. In a range of Elderhostel trips, they spent time on the Navajo and Hopi Indian reservations, and in Alaska, Ireland, and Quebec, as well as the Augusta Music Festival in West Virginia. Dee and Jack volksmarched (ten-kilometer walks) in all 50 states.

Dee was preceded in death by her husband, Jack, mother Norene, father Charles, and her stepmother Elva, as well as her brothers Richard and William, and sisters Renee and Barbara. Dee is survived by Jack B (Jennifer) Downs, Brendan, Collin, and Devin; Mike (Resa) Downs, Kelle, Matt and Jen, Mackenzie and Zoey; Tom (Marge) Downs, Patrick and Jamie (and one on the way), James, Lauren and Sean, Braden, Nora Rose, and Joe; Dave (Lori) Downs, Jamie, Young Dave, Isabel, Mia, Anabelle, and Josh; Paul Downs and Susan Barnett; Eileen (Bill) Osborne, Nicole and Madison, Wesley and Andrea, Selena, Tony, and Bianca; Christy, Jay, and Riley; Teresa (Rich) Downs Shattuck, Zachary, and Casey; Chris (Mary) Downs, Jack, and Molly.

A Community Celebration is scheduled for November 4, 2-5 pm at the Knights of Columbus 2809 in College Park, MD.

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