James Albert Downes

James Albert Downes was born on the family farm near Bridgetown, MD on Maryland’s Eastern Shore on January 10, 1922, the youngest of six children. Known as Jim to his friends and Albert to his family, he grew up during the Great Depression, and graduated from Churchill High School in 1938. Jim was drafted into the United States Army in 1942, then served as a sergeant in a quartermaster company with the 87th Division in Patton’s Third Army in Belgium, France and Germany. Upon his discharge, he attended the University of Michigan on the GI Bill, and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting in 1949, and an MBA there in 1950.

After working a second time for the B&O Railroad briefly from 1950-51, Jim was hired by the Big 8 accounting firm Ernst and Ernst in 1951 and worked in auditing out of their Baltimore office. He earned his CPA license in 1952. He met his beloved wife Phyllis, who was originally from Australia, while she was working in an exchange program at Johns Hopkins Hospital as a dietician. They married in 1956, and were married for 56 years, until her death in 2013. Jim and Phyllis raised their 3 children in Timonium. In 1972 he became VP of Finance for RPS Auto Parts in Baltimore. In 1979 Jim formed the accounting partnership of Musgrave and Downes, then became a sole proprietor in 1994. He stopped working with his last clients in 2018, all the while still keeping up his CPA license, and did his own bookkeeping and accounting until about a year before his death.

Jim enjoyed spending time with family, and for many years did that in Dewey Beach, DE. He and his wife travelled in Canada and Europe in their later years, along with spending time each winter in Cancun. Jim will be remembered was a thoughtful man, and wrote well thought out letters of support and encouragement to his children and extended family. In recent years he did his best to keep up with his nieces, nephews, and grandchildren by phone, text, and e-mail. Jim had a keen interest in current events and politics and took seriously his belief that citizens should keep informed. Given his profession, he helped many family members with all things financial. He also spent time researching his genealogy, tracing his family back to the late 1600’s, and well as writing about his family’s and his own personal history.

Jim attended Mass weekly at the Church of the Nativity, being a parishioner and contributor there from the parish’s inception, and after his wife’s passing, was volunteering there and participating in a small group. Jim believed in staying active, for years doing projects around the house and working in the yard, and walking places rather than driving whenever he could. Into his 90’s he was going to the YMCA early many mornings each week, and even in assisted living the last couple of years attended a daily exercise class and could often be found on an exercise bike when family arrived for a visit. He also very much enjoyed visiting a good friend from his Army days at Oakcrest in Parkville.

Jim’s legacy of love, dedication, and generosity to his family and friends will live on in the hearts of those who knew him. His family, friends, and all who crossed paths with him will remember his wisdom, his wit, and his deep affection for the people he loved. He will be dearly missed, but his memory will continue to inspire and guide his family for generations to come.

James Albert Downes is survived by his three children- Carolyn Sheehan (David) of Lewes, DE, and Peter Downes and Michael (Stephanie) Downes, both of Timonium; by his grandchildren Meghan, Craig, Scott, Brad, James, and John, by great-grandchildren Grant, Mira, Theo, and Ryan, and by 3 nieces and 3 nephews, many great and great-great nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his cherished wife Phyllis (Lynch), his parents Marshall Bailey Downes and Mary Anna Sparks, and his siblings Frances Eleanor Murray, Helen Painton, Mary Ethel Knoll, Esther Nolan, and Marshall Downes.

A funeral Mass will be held at the Church of the Nativity at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 1, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution can be made in his memory to the Church of the Nativity, 20 Ridgely Road, Timonium, MD 21030.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be directed in James’ memory to Church of Nativity, 20 E Ridgely Road, Timonium MD, 21093.