- Date Of Birth: November 27, 1935
- Date Of Death: January 7, 2016
- State: Montana
Al passed away on January 7, 2016. He was 80 when he crossed the rainbow bridge to be with his extended family and beloved pets. Al was preceded in death by his parents and siblings.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Ann; son, Michael; daughter-in-law, Crystal; and two grandchilden, Leyna and Noah.
Better known by his friends as “Big Al” and to his grandchildren as “Papoo,” Al was born in Chicago, IL on November 27, 1935 to Jean (Anderson) and Alva P Downey Sr. He grew up in Chicago and attended Fiske Elementary School and Hyde Park High School.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force in October of 1956 and spent the next 20 years in service to his country. During his Air Force career he was stationed in Texas, Arkansas, Bermuda, Great Britain, Kansas, North Dakota, Montana and Missouri.
While stationed in Little Rock, Arkansas, Al met the love of his life, Katherine Margaret Ann Dixon, who hails from Lincolnshire, England. They married in the summer of 1959 in Oaklawn, IL. Their son, Michael, was born in 1960.
Upon completing his Air Force career, the family returned to Great Falls. There, Al worked in Real Estate before joining the Montana State Job Service in 1980. In 1981, he transferred to Kalispell where he worked with Job Service until he retired in July of 2003.
Al was also a sports offical in the evenings and weekends for more than 30 years. During that time he became the district Umpire-In-Chief for ASA. He also officated for the Rotary basketball program. He was well thought of by the players, coaches, Rotary staff and parents alike.
Al was a member of the Elks Lodge, Eagles Lodge, Disabled American Veterans, and participated in the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life program.
