Ethel May Downey

Downey, Ethel May
CANAAN - Ethel May Downey, 94, of Canaan, N.Y., passed away peacefully at home, with her family by her side, on September 16, 2025. Born in Pittsfield, on April 14, 1931, to Harry and Alice Taft-Austin Amidon, she was a 1949 graduate of Albany High School. She married Harry M. Downey Jr., on September 8, 1951. He predeceased her on Thanksgiving Day 1995 and she missed him every day. Mrs. Downey started her career as a New York Telephone Operator. After her children were in school, she volunteered and was later employed at the New Lebanon Central School District, where she enjoyed nurturing children in kindergarten and as a reading aide. She was the Manager of Miller's Pharmacy in Chatham, N.Y., and retired from Ceramaseal in New Lebanon, where she worked on the Hubel Telescope, components for CERNs particle accelerator for high energy physics research, contracts for NASA, submarines, and other space science research. Her most rewarding job was caring for her eight children, 23 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, many neighborhood kids and friends of her children and grandchildren. She was the most loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, a person could ever hope for and always listened and supported her entire family, making each and every one of them feel like they were the only child in her life. She was very proud of her family and delighted in sharing their successes and accomplishments with anyone that would listen but never taking credit for their hard work. Nothing made her happier than sharing Sunday dinners with her family that were at times chaotic, with often more than 30 present. She made lifelong friendships and loved her friends like family. Her ideals were that of peace, love and forgiveness.
She enjoyed playing on the floor with the toddlers, shooting hoops with the middle schoolers, having an occasional cocktail with the older members of the family, and attending functions any of us had. Mrs. Downey was an avid reader. She also enjoyed traveling, yoga, walking, shopping, listening to Irish music, the arts and theater, serving her community, her faith in God and attending church. One of her most difficult obstacles during her illness was not being able to attend church. In turn, she frequently streamed daily mass on her cell, tablet or TV. She was hip and progressive and the kindest soul we all will ever know. She will surely be missed by everyone that loved her.
Mrs. Downey is survived by her daughters, Susan Downey Luhrmann (Scotty), with whom she made her home, Alice Goulet (Paul) of Alexandria, Va., and Frances Peed (Rob) of Virginia Beach, Va.; sons, Major Harry Downey III, Retired USMC (Kathy) of Spottsylvania, Va., Charles Downey of East Greenbush, N.Y., John Downey of Waterloo, Iowa, and Vice-Admiral James Downey (Jill) of Washington, D.C; as well as her son in-law, Robert Frost of Niskayuna, N.Y.; grandchildren, Sarah, Kathryn, and Rob (Chelsa) Frost, Michael (Cary), Matthew, Ashley, Joshua, Catherine, Danielle, Daniel, David, Jasper, and Jax Downey, Shaun Huls Jr. (Erica), Ella, Antonia, and Julien Goulet, and Micah (Shannon), Shamus, Colin (Shyanne), and Daeglan Peed; great-grandchildren, Edith, Amelia, Ingram, Mina, Nevaeh, Serenity, and Prince Downey, Malavia Jones, Nickoli Sherwood, Amelia Gonzalez, Gabriella and Ana Leyva, and Diego and Daniel Garcia; and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her daughter, Ethel Downey Frost; sister, Dorothy Harris; daughter in-law, Christine Harwood-Downey; and step-grandsons, Matthew Furlani and Dylan Pugliese.
Funeral notice: A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held, Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in New Lebanon, N.Y. Burial will follow in the Cemetery of the Evergreens. Calling hours will be held, Monday, September 22, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford St., Pittsfield.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her name to the Church of the Immaculate Conception or The Community Hospice, and mailed to Dery Funeral Home.
The family would like to thank Elizabeth, Heather, Matt, Tom and Dawn from Hospice, for their support while Mom was under their care. We would also like to send a special thank you to Isabelle Polacinski and Shaun Huls Sr., for their love, kindness, support and care for Mom. We couldn't have managed without you.