Ethel A. Downey, age 93, died September 25, 2016. The daughter of the late George B. and Mary Hetzer Downey, and granddaughter of Lewis and Ann Hagerman Downey, was born at William Hagerman homestead in Woburn area of Washington County. Following Williamsport High School and Catawba College, Salisbury, NC; a dietetic internship at Ohio State Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, and a graduate degree was completed at Ohio State University.
Following employment at Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD was accepted, an invitation to become a member of the staff with administrative and education responsibilities at Ohio State Medical Center. A residency program was completed there. In 1955, she became Department Director at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio and Director of an approved post baccalaureate dietetic internship program. At University of Dayton as assistant professor, the teaching courses were Business Organization and Management. Receiving a special invitation to assist in implementing a new curriculum at Ohio State University, she served as Visiting Professor for that program.
Being an active member and officer of Soroptimist International in Dayton, Ohio and Frederick, MD, she led the association in initiating a Meals-On-Wheels Program in Dayton, which was the second-only established program in the United States. Accolades were received in 1972 as Honorary Restaurateur of the Year from the local Miami Valley Restaurant Association for "accomplishments and outstanding service in hospital feeding and food services industry" for a food service she instrumentally designed for visitors, personnel, and patients at Miami Valley Hospital. The award was the first to a female and the first to a hospital food service. In 1973, they again presented the award to her for "promotion of high ideals in Restaurant Industry". As a member of a consulting firm, contributions were also made in a pre-review program before a Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
In 1976, she accepted the directorship for dietetics at the Medical Center Complex at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and later joined the Planning Commission to design the new replacement hospital building.
A fifty-year plus active member of The American Dietetic Association included serving as treasurer and board member as well as Internship Approval Officer for programs throughout the United States and as chairperson for numerous national projects and educational endeavors for the national association. For ADA Foundation, she served as treasurer, president, and board member.
Following retirement at Ann Arbor, a position as Associate Professor was accepted at Hood College, Frederick MD until 1989.
Graveside service by Rev. Barbara Kerschner-Daniels, United Church of Christ, will be held Monday, October 3, 2016 at 11:00am.
Internment will be at her parents' plot in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hagerstown, MD.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Homewood at Plum Creek, 425 West Minister Ave., Hanover, PA 17331, or Alzheimer's Association, 1850 York Road, Suite D, Timonium, MD 21093.
Online condolences are accepted at www.minnichfh.com.
Arrangements made by Minnich Funeral Home, 415 E. Wilson Blvd., Hagerstown, MD.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Sponsored by Minnich Funeral Home.
2 Entries
So sorry for your loss. What a good long, long life Ethel enjoyed. So many cannot say the same. She was one of those the Bible call especially, especially strong. Ps. 90:10
October 4, 2016
My condolences to the family. May you find comfort in knowing Ms. Ethel lived with special mightiness according to Psalms 90:10.
October 1, 2016
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