Roberta Neel Downs

Services for Roberta Neel Downs, age 99, will be held on Thursday July 26, 2018, at Grace Episcopal Church, at 11:00AM with Rev. Whit Stodghill officiating.
Mrs. Downs was born October 21, 1918, in Monroe, and died peacefully in her sleep July 23, 2018, at Christus St. Joseph’s Home in Monroe. She attended Georgia Tucker Elementary School and graduated from Neville High School in 1935. While at Neville she was a four-year honors student and president of Delta Beta Sigma sorority. In 1939, she graduated from Louisiana State University where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority and Delta Gamma Delta inter-sorority.
She was a life-long member of Grace Episcopal Church. She was also a member of the Monroe Junior Charity League, Town and Country Garden Club, Bayou DeSiard Country Club and the Lotus Club.
Mrs. Downs was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Levi Downs; her oldest son, Walter Thomas Downs; and her parents, Walter Irwin and Roberta Parker Neel.
She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Janis M. Downs of Alexandria, LA; her sons, Robert Joseph Downs and Harvey Clark Downs of Monroe, LA; her grandchildren, David Thomas Downs and his wife Brindly of Baton Rouge, LA, Melanie Downs Barnidge and her husband Beau of Alexandria, LA, Roberta Jane Downs and her husband T.J. Schuck of New York, NY, Allison Ann James and her husband Chuck Bell of New Orleans, LA, Parker Neel Downs and Christopher Thomas Downs of River Ridge, LA, Paul Andrew Downs of Metairie, LA; her brother, John I. Neel of Greenville, SC; one niece, Laurelle Neel Williams and her husband Jim of Sunset, SC; one nephew, John Edward Neel and wife Stacia of Shreveport, LA; her cousins, Camille Hancock Wood of Monroe, Virginia Parker Dennett of Natchez, MS, and John Peyton Parker, Jr. of Baton Rouge, LA; three great granddaughters, one great grandson and her second great grandson due July 31st.
Pallbearers will be David Downs, Johnny Neel, Jim Williams, Parker Downs, Alan Williams and Christopher Downs.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be made to Grace Episcopal Church or Christus St. Joseph’s Home.
The family is grateful to the nurses and staff at both Christus St. Joseph’s Home and St. Joseph Hospice of Monroe for the loving attention and professional care provided to Mrs. Downs.
Visitation will be at Kilbourne Hall, 1400 N. 4th Street, from 10:00AM until the time of service. Private interment will be in Mulhearn Memorial Park cemetery.
Online Registry/Condolences: www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com
Mulhearn Funeral Home
Monroe, LA