Dr. Robert Jack Downs

Robert Jack Downs was born in 1923 in Supulpa, Oklahoma to Lester Downs and Elizabeth McGhie. In 1941 he joined the Navy. After bombing of Pearl Harbor, Jack was assigned to the USS Dixie, serving in the South Pacific. After 4 years and 3 months, he received his first leave and married his High School sweetheart, Rosa Joy Griffin.

Dr. Downs served as Director of the Phytotron, a controlled-environment agricultural facility, which he was instrumental in designing. Students came from all over the world to do research there. He and his wife loved North Carolina and the NCSU School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, where he was a Professor until his retirement in 1993. In addition to numerous professional awards and honors, Dr. Downs published over 130 professional papers and frequently served as a consultant on plant growth, lighting and planning and design of controlled-environment facilities.

He wife of 54 years died in 1999. He is survived by his daughter Kathleen Cheryl and her husband Craig Cooper of Wake Forest; and sisters Betty Halley of Portage, Indiana, Georgiana Inskeep of Aurora, Colorado, Carolyn Mackanos and Pamela Zale of Cincinnati, Ohio.

A memorial service will be held at 10 am on Saturday, October 31, 2015 at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home 300 Saint Mary’s St. Raleigh, NC 27605.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Transitions Life Hospice 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, and NC 27607.

Please visit www.brownwynne.com to offer condolences to the Downs family.