- Date Of Birth: July 4, 1935
- Date Of Death: January 28, 2017
- State: Florida
Downs, Dr. R. Maurice DDS
Dr. Maurice Downs passed away peacefully surrounded by family at home on January 28, 2017. He was an orthodontist who left a legacy of many beautiful smiles for appreciative patients in Miami, Coral Gables, and Key West. Maurice was born on July 4, 1935, in Miami, Florida, to Rudy and Georgia Lee Downs. He graduated from Miami Senior High in1953. He attended the University of Florida for two years pre-dental study and was a lifelong Gator fan.
In 1955, he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy (“Dot”) Rieder. They moved to Atlanta, where they were students at Emory University. He was in Emory Dental School and was President of the Dental School ADA Student Association. Dot was in the Emory College of Arts and Sciences and they graduated together in 1959. From 1959 – 61, they lived in Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he served as a Captain in the US Army Dental Corp.
They returned to Miami where he was a general dentist for one year while waiting to enter the Emory University Graduate Orthodontic Department from 1962-64. Again they returned to Miami with their two sons, Craig and Gary. He practiced orthodontics from 1964 until his retirement in 2007.
He was a member of the American Dental Association, American Association of Orthodontists, Florida Dental Association, Florida Association of Orthodontists, and the Southern Association of Orthodontists.
He served as an officer in many dental professional organizations: President: Greater Miami Dental Society; President: Greater Miami Academy of Orthodontists; and a Representative for the South Florida Dental Association to the Florida Dental Association Congress for 25 years. In 2007, he was recognized as a SFDA Current Leader and in 2015 as a 50 Year Member of the FDA.
He is a former member of Riviera Country Club and the University Club. He loved Key West and was proud that he was made an Honorary Conch and a “Citizen of the Day” in the Key West Citizen.
Maurice and Dot enjoyed seeing the world together, traveling extensively in the US. and Europe. They’ve seen the pyramids on camelback and sunsets on many tropic isles in the Caribbean, Polynesia, and Greece. Other travels include China, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, and Singapore in Asia; Mexico, Central and South America including Machu Picchu in Peru.
Maurice is survived by his wife of 61 years, Dot; and sons and grandsons: Craig Downs (Jackie), and Craig, Jr., ”CJ”; Gary Downs, and his sons, Derek, Griffin, and Clark Downs.
The family wishes to thank Dr.Teddy Tarr and his loving caregivers of many years, Elsa Maria Hernandez, Dolores Carmen Clark Montalban, and Angela Nielsen. We are grateful to Deanez Canto of Vitas Hospice for the comfort they provided in his final days.
