Mary Ellen Downing

SALISBURY — Mary Ellen Downing, 66, of Salisbury died Monday, April 23, 2012 at 
Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury. Born Dec. 6, 1945, in Norwich, 
N.Y., she was a daughter of the late Rev. Ivan Paul Downing Sr. and Helen Ruth 
Downing.

Surviving are her three brothers, Ivan Paul Downing Jr. of South Otselic, N.Y., 
the Rev. William S. Downing of Frederica, Del., and John B. Downing of 
Dagsboro; two sisters, the Rev. Carol Gathagan of Tyrone, Pa., and Judy Lee 
Marvel of Lanham, Md.; her lifelong companion, Elaine Manger of Salisbury; and 
many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death 
by her nephew, Charles Edward Downing, in 2005.

Mary Ellen was a graduate of Selbyville High School and the University of 
Maryland Eastern Shore, and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. She was a 
long-standing member of the Ocean Bay Chapter of Sweet Adelines International. 
She was an avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys and also enjoyed displaying her 
teapot and Betty Boop collections to her many friends. She retired as an 
employee of the state of Maryland as a social worker in 2009. She was a member 
of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, where she served as eucharistic 
minister.She found great joy in her family and was a true sister in Christ to 
all who knew her.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. Francis de 
Sales Catholic Church in Salisbury. There will be a visitation one hour prior 
to the service at the church and also on Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. at Holloway 
Funeral Home in Salisbury. Entombment will be in Springhill Memory Gardens near 
Hebron.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the (sic).

Arrangements are in the care of Holloway Funeral Home PA, 501 Snow Hill Road, 
Salisbury, Md. 21804. To express condolences to the family, please visit 
www.hollowayfh.com.