Clara Angelina Todd Downing

Memorial mass for Clara Angelina Todd Downing, 90, of Toccoa, will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Paul Catholic Church in Cleveland with Fr. Thad Rudd officiating.

Mrs. Downing passed away Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2011, at Stephens County Hospital in Toccoa following a period of declining health.
Born in Colima, Colima, Mexico in 1921, she was the daughter of Caleb Todd, a pioneer minister's son, explorer and prolific man of science; and Maria Louisa Urtig Todd, a dentist. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her older brother, Robert Levi Todd, in 1945; and her younger brother, William Henry Todd; as well as her husband, Robert Allen Downing.

Mrs. Downing was a "Rosie the Riveter" during World War II. She worked in an aircraft factory bucking rivets in SBD Navy dive bombers.

In addition, she was a homemaker, mother of eight, "Nanny," skilled seamstress and insurance clerk.

Mrs. Downing was a gifted seamstress fond of fashioning matching outfits for her children when they were little and, in later years, sewing elaborate vestments for use by the priests at St. Paul.

She loved to travel and logged thousands of miles with her children, following her Air Force master sergeant husband to various military bases around the world, including Libya, Turkey and Japan, as well as all four corners of the United States.

She settled in northeast Georgia more than 30 years ago to be near her children. She resided in Helen most of that time before moving to The Wilkinson Center in Toccoa in May 2008.
She was affiliated with the Ladies Guild and Altar Guild at St. Paul Catholic Church in Cleveland and the Nacoochee Woman's Club.

Survivors include her sons, Robert Downing of Cleveland, Edward Downing of Alpharetta, James Downing of Amelia, Va., and William Downing of Mesquite, Texas; daughters, Maria Downing of Boulder, Colo., Maggie Downing of Clarkesville, Ginny Loveland of Sautee, and Catherine Downing of Santa Fe, N.M.; 12 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren.

To send online condolences to the family, visit www.alexander-funeral.com.

Alexander Funeral Home of Cleveland, 706-865-1500, is in charge of arrangements