Mary Jane Downing

DOWNING, MARY JANE Mary Jane Downing, 81, died December 22, in a Vista Health Center due to a cancerous lymphomas brain cancer. She leaves a husband McLane, a sister, niece, and nephew. She was a county resident since 1965. She liked people and had a great smile. She was of Scandinavian descent, with an Irish personality. Raised in SE Minnesota, served in the WACs during World War II, and held office jobs in Milwaukee and Chicago. Earned a degree in medical technology from Denver and worked in that field in Denver, Oakland and San Diego. Moved to San Diego in 1965 and married McLane in 1966. Her active life included being a docent in several Balboa Park museums, especially Natural History, consoling for Planned Parenthood, and supporting her Unitarian-Universalist religion. She was a particularly gracious hostess, noted for her open friendly parties and potlucks. She liked the outdoors, traveling and living in a retirement place. Trips included Elderhostels, cruises, national parks and other outdoors areas, natural history in Costa Rica, Alaska ' s Denali, six weeks in Europe as a young woman, two trips to her ancestors Norway, and finally to Greece and Turkey. She began playing golf and singing in her teens and enjoyed them all her life. In 2002 she sold her San Diego home and moved to Carlsbad, and in 2002 to Oceanside. Her final religious home was the Palomar UU Fellowship in Vista. McLane thanks the many who sent her cards and flowers and visited her in her final weeks. Memorial services later, Palomar UU Fellowship.Please sign the guest book at obituaries.uniontrib.com