Spent the morning reminiscing over old photos of Dad, family, pets, personality and adventures. I’m lucky, and my oldest child is lucky, to have had his influence, love, and antics in our lives. My youngest child was gifted with his body frame and eyes, so that connects them in a way that is special. It has been a lovely morning with warm smiles. 🥰

It's been almost 4 years. I miss you Dad.

It has been almost 2 years since my Dad's death. I was unable to write much in this guestbook at that time…….

I will forever miss my Dad. He was a wonderful, loving, devoted father. I will always remember the fun times- holidays were the best! He would dress up like a ghost on stilts at Halloween to the delight of all the neighborhood kids, deliver the best Christmas presents at Christmas, and always make holidays so much fun and memorable. I will always remember Christmas when I was in 2nd grade and Stephanie was born the month prior. I went to see what Santa brought and there in our living room were 3 motorcycles! Motorcycle for Mom, one for Dad and a minibike for me!!! 

He was the bravest man I've known and would laugh in the face of what the rest of us would scream at! From wrestling water moccasins, to racing cars, riding motorcycles, or any other challenge brought his way! He gave Stephanie and me our competitive natures for sure!!! He took me on my first roller coaster-Space Mountain at Disney! I was scared but he told me I could do it, and we rode it together!! 

He was fun loving, but always kind and loving. He was devoted to his family. He took my sister Stephanie and me to church, he taught us right from wrong, demanded we do well in school, and encouraged us to do anything we set our minds to and to do it well. I could not ask for a better father. 

You will not be forgotten Dad. Rest in peace with Jesus and I will see you again someday. 
Goodbye…. I love you.

Dad, Debbie, and I were on a camping trip on the Appalachian Trail near Luray, Virginia one autumn.  Rattlesnake Rock, the rarely traveled trail that we were exploring that day started to get very light.  Dad walked off looking for another trail while we continued on the barely worn path.  A few short minutes later Debbie and I heard an unexpected and terrifying sound…a bear’s fierce growl.  We heard something small running through the brush nearby, jerked our heads to the left, and saw two bear cubs scamper up a tree.  Where the mama bear was, we could not tell.  We knew that we were in trouble, though.  Armed with only a switchblade and a hunting knife, we stayed totally still in the forest, ears tuned in to any sound that would alert us to the mama bears location.  She couldn’t have been more than 50 feet away, based on her first warning growl.  She was waiting us out, and we were waiting her out.  Suddenly we heard a commotion about 100 feet North West of us.  It sounded like my dad was stomping through the brush trying to draw attention away from us.  What on earth was he thinking!  As expected, the mama bear swiftly came into view about 15 feet ahead of Debbie and me from the right, and she charged ahead on the trail towards the sound of Dad.  Crazy man!  He was trying to lure her away!  We heard commotion on the trail, the sound of bushes being brushed away, twigs snapping, dead leaves crunching underfoot as my dad was running and the bear was pursuing.  With his machete he was cutting through the overgrown brush ahead.  We began chasing the pursuit fearing for Dad’s life!  Without the slightest idea of what we were going to do in this secluded region of the Trail far outside of the populous areas of the forest, our adrenaline just carried us forward, forward, forward as the bear’s pace created more and more distance between us.  We started to hear the rush of water ahead.  The canopy overhead didn’t allow much light through the trees, so we couldn’t see if it was a fast stream or a river.  The bear roared, my dad howled, and with the skin on our arms bloodied from the thorny bushes on the path, we continued sprinting ahead.  Without warning, we broke through overgrown bushes to a sudden drop off.  We abruptly stopped just in time before launching ourselves into a raging river.  In shock and panic, we looked down and saw the bear swimming in the rapids, bellowing in anger.  We desperately searched the water, calling for dad, but couldn’t see him.  Above us, we heard a “Wooo-hooo! Yow!”.  We looked up and saw dad holding himself high up on a vine overhead with the most rotten, tired, and relieved grin I ever saw!  Deb and I simultaneously cried “DAD!”  With his silly little sheepish grin, he said, “Hi girls!”

This is a story, completely fabricated and based on an experience that Deb and I had backpacking a few years back.  My dad’s second favorite thing to a real adventure, of which he had many, was hearing a good story.  He valued imagination and even though he had plenty of his own crazy adventures, it wasn’t unusual for his stories to become embellished over the years.  That 5 foot rattlesnake that he killed when I was 5 and Deb was 12 with his bare hands and a pitchfork was 7 foot long when I spoke to him about it just a few weeks ago.  He loved adventure, and it makes me laugh when I hear people say that he was lively and colorful.  Yes, he was.  From wrestling alligators in the wild, grabbing water moccasins out of 2 feet of water at the local lake, riding motorcycles, racing cars of all sorts, and so many other experiences that made him who he was, Dad loved adventure.  So to him this story is dedicated.  We love you, Dad.

Spoken at Dad's funeral.

Girls,

I am so sorry for your loss! Your dad was an amazing man. I will forever have wonderful memories of growing up with him and your family. There was nothing better as a kid than holidays with Wayne Downs dressing up as a 7 foot ghost or firecrackers on the 4th of July! Hold on to memories during this tough time! Lots of love!

Wayne ~ You are gone but not forgotten. Your two daughters that you molded into such beautiful, successful, independent women and your two amazing grandchildren will ensure that the memory of Wayne Downs will live forever. Until we meet again, you will be missed!

Uncle Wayne rest in peace.  I am not at all surprised to see that infectious smile here.  Thank you for making our lives so much fun for us when we were kids.  You taught me to ski, to shoot pool, try to rack up points on pinball and laugh a lot.  You will forever wear that smile in my mind.  I know you were proud of Debbie and Stephanie.  You will no doubt be missed by all of those who had the privlege to know you.  Love to you, Debbie, Stephanie, and Aunt Pat.  See you on the other side.  Shellie

To the family of mr.downs.I am sorry for your loss.I knew him as wayne when we were both brother in laws and in our twintys.what a great guy.now i am sorry we lost contact.he always was a family man.I,m glad he was yours.

Cousin you will be miss,  Never really got to know you personaly but know you was a great person.  You had great brother and sister some I have gotten to know.  You had wonderful Uncle and Aunt.  A wonderful and best grandparent.  You were a Great father and Grandfather.  I hope to get to know my Cousin Wayne someday.****   Cousin Brenda

sorry to hear about wayne ,he will be missed by all. want forget the old times when the family came to poppa's for the summer. what good times we all had. Your all in our prayers. Patty (Priddy) and Marvin Cundiff of Brownsville,Ky.

Some called you Wayne, most called you Lin, I called you Daddy, but most of all I called you my friend.
You were there for Mommy and Shyla too! We will miss you Daddy because theres no one like you.
There will never be a man so big and so strong and in our hearts losing you will always be wrong.
The angels are lucky they get to see your face, because Daddy you know no one could ever take your place?
I know it is time we have to say Good Bye...... but you promised Daddy you were'nt going to die......  So now we are left our hearts in despair but in the back of our minds we know you always be there.
I cant stress enough, You know it is true I do now and I will Always Love you.              forever your girl,
                           Cassie Ann

You will be greatly missed.  We always shared stories of Ohio and the great north.  I will surely miss those talks.  You always seemed to light up when I saw you.

OBITUARIO

Wayne "Lin" Downs

1 julio, 1945 – 15 septiembre, 2010

Life Event Center at Florida Memorial Gardens

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