Michael "Mike" Ray Downs

Mike was born on January 14, 1960, in Tipton, Indiana, to Earl Wayne Downs and Eva (Ray) Downs. He spent most of his life in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he built a successful career, lifelong friendships, and a loving family.

Mike earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1983. He later went on to receive his Master of Business Administration from Ball State University in 1996. Throughout his distinguished career, Mike worked in program management for several leading defense contractors, including Raytheon, Magnavox, and most recently L3Harris, where he was respected for his technical expertise, leadership, and dedication.

Outside of work, Mike had a lifelong passion for automobiles. A true car enthusiast, he enjoyed attending car shows, maintaining and restoring vehicles, and sharing his knowledge with fellow enthusiasts. He was a proud member of the Porsche Club of America and the Fort Wayne Driving Club. Over the years, he was also active in the Corvette Club, Lotus Club, and the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Mike also loved to travel, with Hawaii holding a special place in his heart.

Above all, Mike was a devoted husband, father, and family man. He is survived by his beloved wife, Janet Downs; his daughters, Morgan (Travis) Crager and Nicole (Zak) Lewandowski; and a grandson, Luka Lewandowski. He took great pride in his family and treasured every opportunity to spend time with them. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Eva Ray Downs and Earl Wayne Downs, and his brother, Donald Downs.

Mike will be remembered for his intelligence, steady character, generous spirit, and quiet sense of humor. His dedication to his family, his profession, and his many passions left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

For those wishing to join in honoring Mike, a visitation will begin at 4:00 pm on Friday, July 31, 2026, at Greenlawn Funeral Home, 6750 Covington Road, Fort Wayne, with a funeral service at 6:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor his memory to consider making a donation to one or more of the following organizations, Fair Haven Foundation- https://fairhavenfoundation.org, National Marrow Donor Program- https://do.nr/pjnw9431, or Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation- https://themmrf.org.

Condolences and memories of Mike can be left online at www.greenlawnmpfh.com