Mary Eleanor Sturgeon Downing Lemons, mother of Jim and Bill Downing and
Patti Hargrove, passed away on January 4, 2018. We held a memorial service
in her honor on January 20, 2018, delayed so that remote family and friends
could make arrangements to attend our celebration of her life. Friday
evening family and guests gathered at Forrest and Heather's home for an
RGV type welcoming party then Saturday morning we gathered for a Mexican
food lunch before heading to the cemetery. The graveside service was at
2:30PM followed by good fellowship. Later that evening Jim and Ann hosted
a large family gathering dinner and videos about mother's life. Some of
the highlights are presented in this collection.
011_x20180121_113706.jpg: Before any of the organized activities, we stopped
briefly at Mom's home in Harlingen and picked some of the oranges that
were so ripe they were falling off the trees. Here is Jim with Aria on
his shoulders so she could reach the oranges.
012_20180121_113708.jpg:
013_xIMG_20180121_122152970.jpg: This is Forrest and Heather Hargrove's
home where they hosted the Friday night RGV welcoming party.
014_IMG_20180121_121904855_HDR.jpg: Most of the activities were in the
barns at the far right side of this photo.
015_xIMG_1776.JPG: Scenes around the RGV welcoming party hosted by Forrest
and Heather at their home Friday evening. This is the Luis and Jennifer
Franco family with Jim at the far end. Ashley is on the end across from
Luis and Andrew is beside Luis, across from Jennifer.
016_xIMG_1777.JPG: This is the James and Amber Downing family with Ann's
brother Karl next to Amber. Tristan and Genevieve across the table from
their parents.
017_20180119_200707.jpg: Amber and her kids enjoying the big swing.
018_xIMG_1779.JPG: The Hargroves have a menagerie of animals including
a pair of miniature horses, one of which is pulling the kids around the
Hargrove's --- well what is it? --- Much more than a yard, not quite a
farm, and not quite a ranch. Just a big big yard. Holly is at the reigns
with Genevieve and Aria along for the ride.
019_xIMG_20180119_194406071.jpg: Heather (back to us) and Forrest (black
hat) showing their guest around the barns. Housed here are at least 4
quarter horses, 2 miniature horses, and a pair of raccoons. In an adjacent
area are at least a dozen goats, pet squirrels, chickens and boodles of
hunting dogs.
Video clip, ashley_and_raccoon: Ashley and one of their huge pet raccoons.
021_xIMG_20180119_200315461.jpg: James providing a little live entertainment
as if there wasn't enough already. Behind us, Forrest had a big fire pit
to provide warmth because the evening was chilly and two big smokers cooking
chicken and steaks.
022_20180119_201059.jpg: Forrest picking through an old song that Willard
wrote about Patti.
023_xIMG_20180120_121747820.jpg: Saturday morning around 11:30 we gathered
at La Playa, a Mexican cafe for some traditional RGV Mexican food. Our
Austin guest Kathleen Bender and Becky Harris are sitting between Jim and
Ann on the right side. Rich and Patti anchor the head of the table.
024_xIMG_5851.JPG: The memorial service stated at 2:30 at Mont Meta Cemetery
east of San Benito Texas. This is the front of the order-of-service, held
here by Ashley Franco - she of the green nails.
025_handout 2.jpg:
026_handout 3.jpg: Mother's obituary
027_handout 4.jpg: The closing music
028_xIMG_5835.JPG: Jim contemplating his address to family and friends
029_xIMG_5837x.JPG: Friends and family starting to gather. Not sure what
Tristan has lost. Jennifer, Genevieve and Tristan in the foreground.
Ann, Patti Paro (Rich's mate), Karl, and Rich Downing behind.
030_xIMG_5841.JPG: Andrew Franco checking names of those who have signed
the book.
031_xIMG_5845.JPG: Mother ---
032_xIMG_5848.JPG: Jim and Pastor Rumfield discussing last minute details.
033_xIMG_5849.JPG: Long time Austin friends Marlyn and Dale Davis arrived
and are being greeted by Jim and Ann. Jennifer and Ashley looking on.
034_xIMG_5853.JPG: Ashley Franco and Aria Downing caught in the beautiful
afternoon sunlight. Indeed, it rained or misted all day Friday and cleared
off beautifully for us.
035_xIMG_5855.JPG: Rich and Patti talking with Ann. Kimberly Kilburn
and her two daughters and son and husband Chuck (looking down) in the background.
Kali is in the silver grey dress, Cashay in navy and Charles behind his
mother.
036_xIMG_5857.JPG: Austin friends Kathleen Bender and Becky Harris with
Ann.
037_xIMG_5861.JPG: Bill Card, family friend and advisor to mother on the
right. Cortney Ticer and her baby daughter with back to us. She will
turn around somewhere.
038_20180120_140107.jpg: James and Amber Downing's kids Tristan, Genevieve,
and Aria.
039_xIMG_5865.JPG: Forrest, Heather and kids Holly and Forrest Jr. arrive
with Patti. Kimberly greeting her mother Patti.
040_xIMG_5867.JPG: Patti and Jim welcoming longtime family friend Butch
Cooley. His wife Gretchen is totally obscured here.
041_xIMG_5872.JPG: Bill and his son Matt Downing bringing bouquets and
roses to be handed out after the service.
042_xIMG_5873.JPG: Matt's wife Kelly Downing (in white sweater) and Bill's
granddaughter Kelsie Pennington bringing more flowers. Bill's wife Joyce
is obscured by the flowers.
043_xIMG_5874.JPG: Here they all are. In front is Bill's granddaughter
Madison Salinas, Joyce, Bill's daughter Laurie Pennington, and Matt's wife
Kelly.
044_xIMG_5879.JPG: Mother will be laid to rest beside our father, James
Hillis Downing. The date of mother's passing has yet to be added by the
cemetery service people.
045_xIMG_5887.JPG: Madison, Kelly and Matt
046_xIMG_5889.JPG: Cousins Jim and John Downing in animated discussion
01_11_2018_Presentation for Mother's service.pdf: Complete text of Jim's
address to family and friends.
Video clip, Memorial_Service_V2: Here are some clips from video take by Andrew during the service.
048_xIMG_5916.JPG: During Jim's presentation he passed out 6 photos of
mother and asked family and friends to look closely at them because "This
is the woman I am going to talk about". Discussion about the photos continued
after the service with Pastor Kelly Rumfield, Tiffany Santiago, Kimberly
Kilbourn, Cashay Engineer (obscured), and Jim Downing
049_xIMG_5917.JPG: Forrest Hargrove tries to see what is causing so much
interest.
050_xIMG_5928.JPG:
051_xIMG_5933.JPG: She of the green fingernails and dark glasses
052_xIMG_5938.JPG: After the service Bill and his family passed out long
stem red roses in memory of mother. Here are Heather Hargrove, Amber Downing,
Bill turned sideways, Andrew Franco (our videographer) and Patti Hargrove.
053_xIMG_5940.JPG: Heather with her daughter Holly and Amber to the right
054_xIMG_5941.JPG: In memory of mother.
055_xIMG_5944.JPG: Just talking after the service. Cashay Engineer, Charles
Kilbourn, Cashay's daughter Abby looking down at her rose, Kimberly (back
to us), Forrest, James Downing, Chuck Kilbourn, Holly and Heather Hargrove
make the circle.
056_xIMG_5948.JPG: Jennifer and Laurie talking while Willard's sister
Daphna and her daughter Crystal Alsup and Tracy English look on.
Sons Rick English (blue) and Tristan Alsup wait.
057_xIMG_5951.JPG: Ashley and Andrew Franco and Genevieve, Tristan and
Aria (on the carpet) Downing
058_xIMG_5956.JPG: Matt Downing, Heather Hargrove, Jim Downing and Patti
Hargrove
059_xIMG_5971.JPG: Mother's offspring; Bill Downing, Patti Hargrove, and
Jim Downing
060_xIMG_5973.JPG: .
061_xMG_5882.JPG: The flower arrangement on the right was from Mary Garcia
and her family. They were mother's neighbors across the street from her
home on Jim Hogg Dr. The arrangement on the left was from "The Valley
Family", Patti's family.
062_xIMG_5976.JPG: Jim and Ann hosted a dinner for family and friends
at Colletti's in downtown Harlingen later that evening. Here are Marcia
Downing from Duluth, Minnesota, Amber and son Tristan Downing waiting as
guest arrived.
063_xIMG_1800.JPG: A table was arranged with the floral arrangements brought
back from the service.
064_x2018-01-23-PHOTO-00001907.JPG: Some of the candid shots taken before
the dinner came out B&W, not intentionally, but still with a dramatic effect.
Here are Christopher and Courtney Ticer.
065_x2018-01-23-PHOTO-00001908.JPG: The two fine ladies are "The Twins".
Tiffany Santiago and Beverly Loftus are Annette's (Patti's first child,
deceased) daughters while Christopher is her son.
066_img046.jpg: This is the menu and order of events for the evening.
Video clip, s21_welcoming_video: This video ran while people were arriving for the dinner. The music background is singing by Mario Lanza, one of mother's favorite artists.
Video clip, s21_Chapter_1_Eleanor's_Life: This is Chapter 1, the first of 3 videos prepared for the dinner. It covers her life from Canada to moving to Texas.
Video clip, s21_Chapter_2_Eleanor's_Life: This is Chapter 2, played before dessert was served. It covers mother's life on the Texas farm.
Video clip, s21_Chapter_3_2_Eleanor's_Life: And, this is Chapter 3 played after dessert. It covers her life after moving to Harlingen along with her growing family.
071_xIMG_5977.JPG: Somehow with all the activity going on we didn't get
many photos during the dinner, maybe because people were watching the videos
about mother's life. Here we are as the evening wraps down after dessert.
072_xIMG_5978.JPG: This was Jim's table with Bill Card and his wife Darla
(missing in action), Marcia and John Downing from Minnesota and Richard
Downing and Patti Paro from Colorado.
073_xIMG_1780.JPG: Patti with Genevieve Downing who is wearing some of
mother's costume jewelry.
074_IMG_5980.JPG: After dinner we started arranging chairs for family
group photos. James seems to be directing traffic while Forrest IV. lugs
chairs.
075_IMG_5981.JPG: Darla Card, Heather Hargrove, Tiffany Santiago, Lialan
Sanchez, Luis Franco, and Karl Musselman (Ann's brother)
076_xIMG_5984.JPG: Joyce and Bill Downing with Bill's granddaughter, Kelsie
Pennington. Joyce and Bill live in Rogers AK while Kelsie lives in Austin.
077_xIMG_6004.JPG: Jim, Patti, and Bill
078_xIMG_6007.JPG: Bill Downing and members of his family; Kelsie, Joyce,
Bill, Matt and Kelly in front, Bill's daughter Laurie and her daughter
Madison behind.
079_xIMG_6019.JPG: Patti and her family, left to right front row; Kali
Wallenta (from Houston), Tiffany Santiago, Patti Hargrove, Kimberly Kilbourn
with granddaughter Abby Engineer on her lap, Lailan Sanchez, Holly and
Heather Hargrove. Standing: Mandy. Darrell and Beverly Loftus, Cashay
Engineer, Christopher and Courtney Ticer, Chuck and son Charles Kilbourn,
Forrest IV and his dad Forrest Hargrove. Kali and Cashay are Kimberly's
daughters. Tiffany, Beverly, and Christopher are Annette's (deceased)
children. All but Kali live in the Harlingen area.
080_xIMG_6032.JPG: Jim and Ann Downing's family, in front are Genevieve
and Tristan Downing, seated are Ashley Franco, Jim holding Aria Downing,
Ann, Andrew Franco. Standing: Ann's brother Karl Musselman, James and
Amber Downing, Jennifer and Luis Franco, all from Austin.
081_xIMG_6012.JPG: Cousins - all from the Downing side of our family:
Bill and Jim Downing, Libby Colburn from St Paul, Richard Downing from
the Aspen CO area, Patti, and John Downing from Duluth MN. Libby and John
are from Uncle Bill while Rich is from Uncle Art.
082_xIMG_5989.JPG: Here we all are. Except for Marcia and Patti, see
the previous photos for names. Marcia Downing (in blue) is in front of
husband John while Patti Paro (in red) is in front of partner Rich.
083_xIMG_5997.JPG: We were told to squeeze together a little.
084_xMG_6000.JPG: Another perspective, same group