Carl Gregory Downs

It is with a combination of deep sadness and unbreakable faith that we announce that Carl Gregory Downs passed away on October 27, 2018. He passed away peacefully in his home on the final day of his sixty-seventh year of life. He leaves behind his wife of 19 years, Carolina Downs, his daughter, Danielle Downs, and his sons Vincent Downs and Jason Downs. Carl was born on October 28, 1950 to Mildred Warwick and Charles Downs, Sr. in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the oldest of their four children, serving as a big brother to his sisters Karen and Rebecca (“Annette”), and brother Charles (“Junnie”). He was raised on the 4200 block of Towanda Avenue and played neighborhood little league baseball. Loved in the community, a few of his closest friends were Reginald Sawyer, Gary Martin, Calvin Johnson, Frank McAllister, and Charles Mobley. As a teenager, he got his first job at Kentucky Fried Chicken. He never ate food from KFC again. Carl also worked as a construction apprentice, learning carpentry skills that would serve him well for the rest of his life. After graduating from Northern High School lettering in track and field, he earned a Bachelor of Science from Morgan State University in mathematics. With an analytical mind, a knack for problem-solving and an uncanny ability to boss people around, he served as a manufacturing manager for nearly two decades. He worked for several global manufacturing companies, and retired from Quest International, Inc. in 2004. After retiring, unable to sit idly, he worked as a photographer and memorialized countless special occasions with a specialty in weddings. In his spare time, he taught himself to build computers and was always willing to serve as a helping hand to his family and friends in optimizing software. Carl loved Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Parliament-Funkadelic (“P-Funk”) and Doug E. Fresh. If he could not feel the music, the bass was not deep enough. An unapologetic conservative, he was always willing to meticulously debate any political point with any person at any time. Carolina Downs was the only person to win a debate with him for the last two decades. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at March Life Tribute Center at 5616 Old Court Rd, Windsor Mill, MD 21244. The family will greet friends Friday, November 9, 2018 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at March Life Tribute Center then again on November 10 at 9:00 until the time of the service.

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Carl Gregory Downs

October 28, 1950 - October 27, 2018