Richard Delaine Downey

Reverend Dr. Richard Delaine Downey….

Richard Downey, 83, known to many as Dick, — a deacon, educational leader, teacher, mentor, beloved family member, and friend, passed peacefully to his eternal reward early on July 17, 2021, his daughter, Meaghan’s, birthhday. He had been in Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Braselton for a short while.

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on March 27, 1938, along with his twin brother Bob, the middle children in a family of four boys of Headley and Helen Bennett Downey. He graduated from Ann Arbor High School as an outstanding football star and was awarded a football scholarship to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

Soon he met his future wife of 61 years, Carol. He studied special education and became, first a teacher, then a mid-level administrator, after which he completed his Ph.D with two majors in Educational Administration and Special Education Administration. After a few years of university teaching as an assistant professor at Northern Illinois University, the family moved to Georgia where Dick made a name for himself in service to children with disabilities and their families in the northern 22 counties of Georgia as Special Education Director for the Northeast CESA, a regional state educational agency. Following this, he served as Special Education Director for Duval and Palm Beach counties in Florida, Marana School District in Arizona and eventually Gwinnett County in Georgia. Throughout his distinguished career in public education and after he retired, he taught as an adjunct at Southern Illinois University, North Georgia College (now University), the University of Georgia, Brenau University, and Campbellsville University in KY. Following his public school retirement in 2001, Dick was asked to assume the chairmanship of the Department of Education at Midway College in Kentucky where he lead the department in gaining their national accreditation. Dick had several honors and awards during his years in education. Perhaps the one of which he was most proud was being named Special Education Director of the Year in Georgia because it was done by the vote of his colleagues throughout the state. He was a member of many organizations dealing with needs of children with special needs and school administration.

Soon after his retirement, Dick, with counsel and spiriual direction of his good friend, Father Al Jowdy, felt that God was calling him to the deaconate in the Catholic faith. He continued a year of discernment with the Archdiocese of Atlanta and with the move to Kentucky, was allowed to finish the final 4 years of formation with the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky. Following his ordination, Deacon Dick served the people of St. Leo’s Parish in Versailles, KY and worked with an outreach organization in the far eastern counties of KY for one year. In the final move back to Georgia, Dick was assigned as a deacon at St. Lawrence Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia until he retired due to health reasons. Dick’s’ life was one of service to others and that was something he loved to do. He truly treasured working with families, serving at Mass, counseling young couples, and writing and preaching his homilies and from the reaction of members of the parish, they were very well received and appreciated.

Deacon Dick was a kind and gentle soul and very important to him was his family which consisted of his wife Carol, oldest son Christopher Paul who preceded him in death in 2015, his beloved daughter, Meaghan, and his youngest son, Stephen, grandson Brayden, his brother David (Kathy) and two brothers who preceded him in death, twin brother Bob and older brother Harold, all who he held dearly in his heart. He made friends with all that he met and those with whom he worked, believed him to be a good leader, a wise decision maker, and more importantly to him, a good friend.

Dick loved anything outdoors and was an avid football fan, especially if they were Wolverines, (Michigan) or Bulldogs (Georgia). In his later years, due to his limitations of a stroke suffered in 2011, he became an even more avid reader and was almost permanently attached to his Kindle.

Funeral services will be at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Visitation with be at 10:00 at the church followed by Mass at 11:00. Committal will follow immediately in the Columbarium in the courtyard at St. Lawrence.

In lieu of flowers, donations might be considered to St. Lawrence Church, St. Vincent de Paul Society, or St. Bernard Rescue of Tennessee, http://www.saintbernardrescuetn.myresq.org from whom we got our beloved Sammy dog who followed Dick to the Rainbow Bridge three days after we lost Dick.