Longview News & Journal

May 17, 2002

Submitted by Gloria B. Mayfield

Mark ‘Catfish’ Downs

MARSHALL — Funeral services for Mark “Catfish” Downs, 52, of Marshall will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 18, 2002, at Morgan Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating will be the Rev. Jim Houston, the Rev. Bob McCarty and the Rev. Roy Stephens. Interment will follow in Harris Chapel Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Morgan Funeral Home. Mr. Downs died at 8:10 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, 2002, at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview.

Born Feb. 15, 1950, in Marshall, he was a son of James Thurman Downs and Vivian Fuller Downs Varner. He attended Marshall public schools and graduated from Marshall High School in 1968. He also attended Kilgore College. On June 30, 1997, he married Joni Annette Parish in Karnack. He was employed by TRW Reda-Pump and was retired from the Sabine Valley Center. Mr. Downs was a lifetime member of Fairview Baptist Church and a member of the East Texas Bass Club. He was active as a Cub master and a baseball coach, and he especially enjoyed fishing.

Survivors include his wife, Joni Downs of Marshall; two sons, Marcus Downs and Martin Downs, both of Marshall; two stepsons, Ronny Summerlin Jr. and his wife, Miranda, of Marshall and Nick Summerlin, also of Marshall; one grandson, Dylan Summerlin of Marshall; a number of aunts, uncles and cousins; and former wife and special friend Kay Downs of Marshall.

Mr. Downs was preceded in death by his parents and his stepfather, Hershel Varner.

Pallbearers will be Ricky Turner, Steve Quinn, Harold Wayne Parrish, Richey Arnold, Pat Bailey, Michael Ford, Jerry Doss and Buddy Killion.

Honorary pallbearers are the doctors and staff of Good Shepherd Medical Center.

The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. today, May 17, at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the American Kidney Foundation, 6110 Executive Blvd., Suite 1010, Rockville, MD 20852.