Arizona republican., 1914-10-01

In the death of Mrs. Andrew Downing, who last Tuesday tenderly laid to rest beneath mass of the fragant blossoms she loved well, Phoenix has met distinct loss. Her activities many and always helpful. Although the church, the Woman's Club the Relief Corps the College and Friday clubs will know her presence no more, her cheerful smile her ability to find the good in all of us, her quick of humOr, her ready helpfulness and her beau tiful Christian faith will never be forgotten
 Born of Puritan parents in Vernon, Ohio July 26, 1S43 Mrs Downing was educated at Mt Union college in Alliance. From the Alma Mater came the late Col. Creighton, Gen Sampson and the Methodist Bishop Hamilton while Phander C. Knox of her classmates. At her graduation she was chosen to give the Bellies Lettres Oration and the faculty requested that it be in Verse-So early had poetry shown it's influence her life For many years Mrs. Downing taught school, being for twenty consecutive years principal of school in Sharon, Pa
 Married in Topeka, Kan. in 19OO she shortly moved to Washington, D. C., where MT. Downing connected with the government pension office and on the failure of his health there, they came west to settle in Phoenix. From early girlhood Mrs. Downing earnest member of the Methodist church and became ardent worker and well-loved member of that congregation here.
 Her experience in educational matters made her a valued member of several local clubs and her interest extended to many of the outlying clubs which she often visited. For q number of years Mrs. Downing had charge of the Arizona travelling libraries, those little collections of books which she sent month after month, their missions of cheer and hepfulness, and all those librarians in their far-off camps. her death will a personal loss. The ideal poetic side of Mrs. DoWnngs temperament manifested in her verses, of which she published one volume Of this God-given talent she most generous all her fellow club members will appreciHtively remember. Her home life simply but cOmprehensvey de- scribed in the dedication of her POEM PICTURES, TO My Husband. To no could the real home life mean more and to very few much. Her devo ton to her poet-husband was only equalled by his to her
 She wrote of the coming years: Together they'll greet it with laughter tears, And take up the burden it lays at their feet
 Her lines on the death of a friend might well have been written of her own:
 How precious the lesson our dear friend has
 taught us!
 Unswerving the pathway of duty she trod,- Unselfish and loving, treasures she brought Unconscously leading nearer to God
 Mrs. Downings death occurred on the fifteth anniversary of her husbands discharge from the army he having served a commissioned officer for almost 1900 days and it of this fact she was speaking when she fell asleep. Her passing into the Great Unknown without a struggle; she carried to it's very gates the steadfast faith which part of her nature:
 Hold fast to thy faith, for the tide is receding, And down the dark valley thy pathway is leading; Iifes tangles unravalled it's agony over Its purpose and meaning thy heart shall discover.
 She has passed down that dark valley into the sunshine beyond, leaving to us the lessons of a happy faithful unselfish life.
 "A life touched mine circles meet
 Where orbits lie in boundless space;
 As gushing fountains, pure and sweet,
 Make green the dreary desert place.
 So true kind helpful seemed
 The clasp hand, the cheery tone,-
 l found lifes burdens lighter growr
 And Heaven nearer than l dreamed
 -(From Ships That Pass in the NightD
 M. B. H.