Ralph Downs

Ralph Downs, age 89, passed away August 20th, 2016 at the George E. Wahlen Ogden Veterans Home. He was born April 6, 1927 to Henry Downs and Mary A. Nielson in Jefferson, Oregon. Ralph moved to Joseph City, Arizona before moving to Bountiful, Utah in 1938.
He graduated from Davis High School before attending Utah State University. He loved and excelled in sports and earned letters in football, basketball and tennis. He served in many areas of the armed forces before graduating from Physical Therapy School at Stanford University in 1954.
He married the love of his life, Trudie Hoffman, in the Logan LDS Temple. They were married 66 years. As a member of the LDS church, he served in various callings through the years but loved working at the Bountiful LDS Temple.
Ralph opened the first private Physical Therapy practice in the state of Utah. He loved his work and his patients loved him. He worked up to the time of his death, giving the staff at the Veterans Home frequent neck massages.
He loved Bear Lake where he built a family cabin. He experienced great joy spending most summers at the lake with his family. Ralph was a talented athlete, a softball fast pitch pitcher and tennis player.  It is a mystery how he taught all three of his sons to pitch a baseball the normal way!  He was a very kind and gentle man with a heart of gold. He would go out of his way to help others. He was very generous, compassionate and hard working. More than anything else he loved his wife, children and grandchildren. He was a great example to all those around him! He will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his wife Trudie H. Downs and his 5 children; Dave (Marcie) Downs, Janet (Arlen) Adamson, Peggy (Paul) Pantle, Kelly (Shelley) Downs, Richard (Julie) Downs; 14 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren and by brothers, Roy and John Downs. Preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Mary Downs, and siblings, Carl Jacobson, Juanita Youngblood, Gibb Jacobson, Mabel Lydell, May Downs, Robert Downs.
Thank you to the staff of the George E. Wahlen Veterans home and Elevation Hospice. You took such great care of him.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, August 27, 2016 at the Bountiful 13th Ward LDS Chapel, 1365 North 650 East, Bountiful, Utah. Friends and family are invited to visit Friday evening, August 26, from 6:00-8:00 pm at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, Utah and Saturday at the church from 10:00-11:00 am prior to the service.  Interment will be at Bountiful City Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, please contribute to your favorite charity.