Joseph Glenn Downs was born on July 21, 1941 into the family of Wilfred Glenn “Mike” and Ruth Esther (Knutson) Downs, and Elvina. Joe was named after Joseph in the Bible and Glenn after “Uncle” Glenn Eaton (as was his father “Mike”), a collage chum and close friend of Al Downs, Mike’s father.
Joe graduated from Queen Anne High School during which time he began a close friendship with Rev. Renus Cabe. Joe graduated from Bethel Temple Bible School, 2nd from the top of his class. (There were two in the class.) He graduated from Seattle Pacific Collage with a degree in Economics and Business. Later he earned the General Principles of Insurance certificate, and the Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriters designation, post-graduate studies in insurance related fields. He attended Seattle University, the University of Washington and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Joe married Alfreda Norman on March 20, 1964. Joe and Freda were blessed with three girls, Erica, Glenda and Denice, and a fine son-in-law, David Fu. Joe is very proud of each of them and of five grandchildren, Bailey, Sabine, Mikaela, Wolfgang & Kellan.
Joe worked at Downs NW Diebold, for about 8 years, then Safeco Insurance Co., then PACCAR. After leaving PACCAR, he and Freda owned their own company. Then he consulted, raised Christmas trees and delivered food for the Snappy Dragon Restaurant. Everywhere he worked he found pleasure helping others grow, and letting his “light shine” for his Savior. Every job was a ministry. In his retirement he made lots of simple little block cars branded with “Jesus Loves You and Me” and donated them to “Operation Christmas Child”, a “Samaritan’s Purse” ministry.
Joe grew up in Bethel Temple sang in the choir and a quartet, played the trumpet, and loved the Youth Camp, as a camper, a councilor, on the governing Youth Camp Committee and as its Chair. The Camp Director was Rev. Renus Cabe. Working with Renus furthered Joe’s friendship with Renus. Joe and Freda were members of the Christian Motorcyclists Association, a Christian outreach to motorcyclists who are not generally included in “mainstream Christianity.” He and Freda originally, and until the place was sold, hosted a CMA family picnic outreach to the “Banditos” motorcycle club, an outreach that has born fruit for eternity.
Joe loved big game hunting, and was blessed by the Lord with success both in game taken and in great hunting partners like Charles Greene and Scott Murphy over the years.
Two among the highpoints he cherished were: a job recommendation from a former boss who said Joe always had a ready testimony for Christ in how he lived his life rather than an “in your face” confrontational way. Much later, a person with whom Joe for decades had extreme differences over ethics, stated in front of Joe and that person’s attorney that the only person he could trust completely and unequivocally was Joe, more even then his own blood family. Both instances Joe took as great compliments.
Joe had a full, wonderful life. He is now home, contented to be with his Savior and family who’ve gone ahead. His desire is to be remembered as someone who was faithful to the calling of Jesus Christ, and faithful to his wife, children and friends.
Found on the fly leaf of “Uncle” Glenn Eaton’s Bible, written there by his mother just before she died.
Remember love, who gave you this
When other days shall come.
When she who had thy earliest kiss
Sleeps in her narrow home.
Remember ‘twas the mother gave
The gift to one she’d die to save.
The mother sought a pledge of love,
The holiest for her son.
And from the gifts from God above
She chose a goodly one.
She chose for her beloved boy
The source of light of life of joy
And bade him keep the gift, that when
The parting hours would come,
They might have hope to meet again
In that eternal home.
She said his faith in that, would be
Sweet incense to her memory.
A parents blessing on her son
Goes with this Holy Thing.
The heart that would retain the one
Must to the other cling.
Remember! ‘tis no idle toy
A mother’s gift – Remember boy.
"Now, where shall we go?" said the Man-Next-Door
as he spread a world-wide map,
"To Borneo or the Lands of Snow
or the tiny Isle of Yap?
For You are the Captain; I'm the Crew,
and we sail wherever You say,
To the Arctic Seas or the Caribbees
or to distant Buzzard's Bay."
"Oh wait ! I know where I want to go,"
the Boy-in-the-Wheel-Chair said,
"To Christmas Isle for a little while.
It's in a book I read."
So they rode away on the spun-glass ship
with dreams for wind in the sails,
While the one man crew told the Captain Bold
many exciting tales
Until it seemed that they more than dreamed
under the magic spell
Of the land where it's Christmas all year long...
and Fourth of July as well.
They sailed to Hither, and Thither, and Yon,
to the North and the South and the West,
But of all the world it was Christmas Isle
that the Captain loved the best.
And the boy forgot the dull wheel-chair
and the ever present pain
As they made the trip in the spun-glass ship
in storm and sun and rain.
But the kindly eyes of the Man-Next-Door
were filled with anxious fears
And his cheery grin was a mask to hide
the ache of unshed tears
For he saw too well how the Captain Bold
grew wearier every day
And how his laugh was a wistful smile
as their dream-ship sailed away.
He came one day to the quiet room
and called his "Ship Ahoy!"
But his voice was hushed as his quick glance fell
on the face of the wheel-chair boy.
For the small thin face was white and still...
but clutched in the frail hand's grip
With it's sails all set for another cruise
was the gallant spun-glass ship.
"Bon voyage," said the Man-Next-Door,
"You've sailed without your Crew.
Oh, Captain, may the winds be kind
and the skies be ever blue.
May the final trip of the spun-glass ship
ride swift with the ocean's swell
To the land where it's Christmas all year long...
and Fourth of July, as well."
Don Blanding written in 1937
(Joe’s favorite poem)
A celebration of his life will be held at Bethany Christian Assembly in Everett, WA
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