Janet Barnum Downing

Janet Barnum Downing Janet, the daughter of Patricia Boyle Barnum and C. Robert Barnum of Eureka, passed away at her home in Santa Rosa while watching TV in her TV room on December 19, 2013. Her two children survive her - Paul William Andersen Jr and his wife Emilia of Portland, OR and her daughter Bridget Andersen Lane and her husband Robert Paul Lane of Lynden, WA and their two daughters Brooklyn K. Lane and Lelani K. Lane. She was a loving mother and grandmother. She was preceded in death by her grandparents Helen Wells Barnum and Charles R. Barnum of Eureka, CA and William and Hilda Boyle of Westfield, NJ. She was also preceded in death by her father's three sisters Betty Swaner, Mary Drake and Jo Ann Storre. She is survived by her four siblings, all of Eureka - Patricia Anne Barnum, Charles R. Barnum III, William F. Barnum and his wife Monica Cruz Barnum, and his three children Kelsey Bonilla and her husband Dennis and their two children Sienna Cathleen, and Matteo Joseph Bonilla of San Diego, CA. Also survived by Robert Ogden Barnum, his wife Leah and his son Kealan Joseph Barnum, Sarah Barnum Poff and her husband Casey and their two sons Lane and Cody and Cathleen Helen Christensen and her husband Pattison and their three children Emily, Jensen and Marin. She is survived by her great aunt Lorene Steele of Eureka, and her aunt Janet Boyle Sikora of Avalon, NJ and her four children, her uncle William John Boyle and his wife Lea and their three children of Ormond Beach, FL. Also by her aunt Florence Boyle Philips and her husband Donald R. Philips Jr and their four children of Thousand Oaks, CA. Janet was a natural athelete and when in Grant School Eureka she retained the title for many years for gymnastics. She excelled at horsemanship. Her first pony was Frosty and she graduated to be a star rider in English - Western 3 day events, and jumping etc. She kept her horses at home at Fairway Drive and after school each day she practiced her riding and jumping. She had huge boxes full of blue ribbons and trophies and she decorated her room with them. She was active in 4H. She raised and showed sheep and steers a tthe Humboldt County Fair. She could train horses and dogs as a "Whisperer". Her companion dog Wizard watched hand and knew what to do. Janet and Wizard were welcomed all over Santa Rosa by name. One sister said to be sure to say "Janet could sell iceboxes to Eskimos". She had many jobs over the years, but this last year or two she studied each night with the University of Phoenix, and was about to receive her MBA in Management and Finance. Janet was the widow of Kenneth Downing of Dallas, TX. When he passed away, she decided to return to California and picked Santa Rosa. She had a lovely garden and home and worked each day on her roses, plums and tomatoes. Janet was born October 30, 1963 at St. Joseph Hospital, attended Eureka schools, and graduated from St. Bernards High School in Eureka. Janet had a super memory, she still knew the birthdays of all her classmates at Grant School. She would call her mother and relate a conversation of many years ago, word for word, and could not believe her mother could not remember it too. A private family memorial service was held at the family home on Fairway Drive on Friday, December 27, 2013. She had great memories of summer days at her Nana's Hilltop Ranch in Miranda, surrounded by her many Barnum cousins. Her Barnum cousins survive her in Oregon and California, and her Boyle cousins survive her in Washington, California, New York and New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sequoia Humane Society. Memorial contributions may also be made to a trust set up at St. Bernards Church, Eureka, called "Angels and Shepards Trust in Memory of Janet Barnum Downing ". The trust will provide a portable stage and support for the pageant at Christmas each year. Worshippers will be able to have a better view of the participants. Please sign the guestbook at www.times-standard.comand click on obits.