Mary Louise Downes

Mary, who always went by the name Louise, was born and raised in Bellfountain Oregon. She was one of two children born to Fred and Neva Anderson-Ayers. Louise married William C. Mitchell in 1946 and gave birth to their only child, Judith Ann, in 1947. Twenty six years later she and Bill divorced. Years later she married Arthur Fosnight. Arthur passed away in 1985. She then married George Keller who passed away two years later and then in 2006 she married Robert Downes who passed away in 2014. She remained a widow this time until she left to stay with the Lord.

Louise’s working life took place when women didn’t have a profession; she was a “clerk” for various insurance agencies and eventually worked her way up to sales. She served one term as president of the Woman’s Insurance Group during this time. After leaving the insurance industry she had more time to pursue her favorite hobbies which included fishing, camping and searching for “treasures” in second hand stores.

Louise found the Lord when she was sixty years old and from then on spent considerable time praying for people and bringing many to the Lord. She volunteered with Hospice in Albany, Oregon during the ‘80’s and various senior organizations when she lived in Louisville, Colorado. In her final days she was a volunteer in the memory care center at The Village at Keizer Ridge in Keizer, Oregon.

She was loved by those she touched and will be fondly remembered by her family and friends.