Irma Johnson Downing

Irma Johnson Downing was born on August 18, 1918 as the first child to the late Mr. Holly Johnson and Erma Cottrell Johnson in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the eldest sister to the late Dolores Johnson, wife of the late Willard Benjamin Downing, Sr. and mother of four children, Dorothy Clark, the late Venice Copeland, Leonard Downing, Sr. and the late Willard Downing, Jr. Irma embarked on her final journey early on Sunday morning, November 21, 2004.Irma was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in the church becoming a member of Bethel A.M.E. in 1935. She graduated from the old Douglass Senior High School in 1936 and excelled in mathematics. On August 18, 1935 Irma Johnson and Willard Downing were married, raised their family of four children and moved to the Edgar Allen Poe Homes in the 900 block of Lexington Street from 1940 to 1956. In 1956, Irma and Willard moved to 3112 Leighton Avenue in the Burleith Subdivision of West Baltimore where they continued to raise their family and lived to the present.Irma loved to work and lived an active life. She started her career in the early 1940’s working for International Taylor as a Seamstress and Holland Cleaners as a Checker. During World War II she worked at Western Electric to support our troops. In 1966, Irma started working for the Department of Finance in the Municipal Building for Baltimore City, retiring in August of 1983.God, family and community were first in her life and she was an active member of Bethel A.M.E. Church for sixty-nine years where she served on the Senior Usher Board and Choral Choir. She loved all of her children but in 1976 God called her youngest daughter, Venice Copeland, home giving her the opportunity to raise her grandson, Michael Copeland. She also worked with the Liberty Medical Center Auxiliary as Treasurer and Secretary. At the Forest Park Senior Center she served as a member of the Board of Directors, Grab Bag Coordinator and Tour Guide.Irma Downing spent her final days at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital in Northwest Baltimore. Irma is survived by: two children, Dorothy Clark and Leonard Downing, Sr.; twelve grandchildren, Michelle Antoinette Clark, Marcel Tyrone Clark, Sandra Bernice Downing, Leonard Warfield Downing, Jr., Jacqueline Denise Downing, Michael Copeland, Damon Troupe Downing, Tricia Elizabeth Downing, Nicole Andrea Cooke, Godlee Frances Davis, Wendy Downing and Mariah McElvoy; and twenty-one great grandchildren.

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Irma Johnson Downing

August 18, 1918 - November 21, 2004