- Date Of Birth: January 6, 1935
- Date Of Death: June 10, 2018
- State: Missouri
Carl Thomas (Tom) Downey Jr. passed away on June 10, 2018 at Moberly Nursing and Rehab.
Tom was born January 6, 1935 to Carl Thomas Downey Sr. and Lena Alberta Winkler in Macon County. He was raised by his grandmother, Nellie Winkler, until her death. At that time he moved in with a neighbor Nellie Cristal where he started running her farm at age 13. He was the oldest of 11 children born to Carl Sr. He graduated from Macon High School in 1953. He attended Kirksville College and Hannibal LaGrange College. He accepted the call to the gospel ministry and was ordained in 1956 at the Ten Mile Baptist Church.
It was at the Ten Mile Baptist Church that he met the love of his life; Hazel Marie Hartung. They were married at the Ten Mile Baptist Church on May 9, 1958.
Tom pastored the following churches: Enon Baptist Church, Oak Ridge Baptist Church, Ten Mile Baptist Church, Madison Baptist Church, and the Pleasant Green Baptist Church. He retired from the Pleasant Green Baptist Church in 2011 after 41 years at the church where he remained a member. Tom worked at Toastmaster as a night watchman until the warehouse closed. He also owned a farm where he raised cattle. At one time he owned dairy cattle and was known around Madison as the milk man.
Tom was a member of the Levicks Mill Grange where he served as chaplain. He was also the treasurer of the Tri-Mission Board and served many times as the Moderator of the Monroe Baptist Association. He loved going to the associational Baptist camp every year and served as head cook (although he never cooked at home)!
The most important thing in his life other than his Master was his family. His grandchildren were the pride and joy of his life. He was proud that his grandsons wanted to take over the family farm and he taught them everything they needed to know.
Tom is survived by his wife, Hazel; children Jennell (Chuck) Embree and Jennett Downey of Moberly; grandsons Jared (Jordyn) Embree of Otterville, Mo. and Corey Embree of Moberly; and twin great-grandchildren who are soon to be born; five half-sisters and a half-brother, all out of state; sister-in-law Martha Hartung of Ten Mile, Mo, numerous nieces and nephews, and his special “adopted” granddaughter Emma Divers of Moberly.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters Marjorie Clark and Fay Annis, and two half-brothers.
