Anna Pearl Downer

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Anna Downer: A Life Well Lived
Our world lost a remarkable source of light and love with the passing of Anna Pearl Downer on June 18th, 2025. For all of us who knew and loved her, the world feels a little quieter, a little less bright.
Her story began in the Mississippi sunshine of Sartartia on March 25th, 1956, born to Henrine Jones and Clarence McCoy. Those early years, spent with her beloved Aunt Sweet, shaped the warmth she would carry with her for a lifetime. At nine, a new chapter began when she moved to Highland Park, Michigan. In a bustling house full of siblings, Anna quickly established herself with a loving but firm presence. It was a chaotic, beautiful upbringing, and while things weren't always easy, everyone knew Anna was the heart of the home-and definitely the boss.
It was in Highland Park that a classic neighborhood romance began. A young man named Clyde Downer lived just across the street, and it wasn't long before the high school classmates became a couple. Clyde's family welcomed her with open arms, seeing in her the same wonderful spirit he did. Shortly after she graduated in 1974, their journey together took a beautiful turn when they welcomed their first son, Clyde Jr.
Over the years, their family grew, blessed with a daughter, Chaunda, and two more children, Catina and Christopher. They married in 1980, building a home filled with laughter and love. Though their path as a couple eventually diverged, their commitment as parents never wavered. They remained a team, united in their dedication to raising their four children.
And what incredible children they raised. They were Anna's entire world, her absolute pride and joy. She was a woman of immense strength and quiet class, a resilient pillar for her family. But it was her smile that everyone remembers most. It was a force of nature, capable of cutting through any darkness and filling a room with pure light. You can still see that same smile living on in the faces of her children.
While she had four children of her own, her heart had room for so many more. Nieces, nephews, her kids' friends, teammates-it didn't matter. If you were a child in her orbit, you were one of her kids. To this day, a whole generation of people know her simply as "Mama D" or "Mama Ann."
Anna was a hard worker her entire life. She started her career as an Account Executive at Grand Trunk Railroad, a job she truly loved and where she met her second husband, William Wallace. Life, as it does, brought more changes, and she eventually found a new, fulfilling passion in the medical field. She dedicated herself to various roles, helping others until her well-deserved retirement in January 2024. In 2007, she made a final move to Phoenix, Arizona, drawn by the sun and soon followed by her sons, living there until her passing.
Anna is now reunited with her mother, Henrine; her father, Clarence; her stepfather, J.W. Jones; and her brother, Willie Jones.
Her legacy of love is carried on by her children: Clyde Brett Jr., Chaunda Gardner (Kanye), Catina Downer, and Christopher Downer. Her love also extended to Bryan Downer, Thai Brett, Asia Brett, Kim Loucks, and Jimmy Wallace, who she cherished as her own. She leaves a hole in the hearts of her adoring grandchildren, Gianna Hood, Myles Gardner, Chandler Gardner, Ashlee Tyler (Mike), and Raymond Loucks. She is also survived by her dearest sister and best friend, Wanda Jones, along with her sisters Betty Jones and Rhonda Jones, and her brothers, J.W. Jones, Eddie Jones, Henry Jones, and
Stephen Jones, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and chosen kids who she embraced without a moment's hesitation.
Anna's faith in the Lord was the unwavering foundation of her life, a quiet strength that guided her until her very last breath. She leaves behind more than just memories; she leaves behind a lesson in how to live with grace, love fiercely, and face the world with a resilient and beautiful smile. She will be so, so deeply missed.
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