Heather Ree Downs

Our beloved Heather Ree Downs, 34, completed her journey back home to her Heavenly Father in the early morning hours of Monday, September 30, 2003, ending a valiant and patient two year battle against cancer.
Heather was born in Logan, Utah on a beautiful autumn morning on October 20, 1968. She was the first born of Chad E. and Cheryl Hampton Downs. She was a loving and tender child who grew into a wise and courageous woman. Heather attended Summit Elementary School, North Cache Jr. High and graduated with honors from Sky View High School in 1986. She received an academic scholarship to USU and was also a recipient of the Career Teacher Scholarship. She served in the Zurich, Switzerland LDS Mission from 1989 to 1991, where she developed a great love for the Swiss people and the German Language. While attending USU she worked at the Logan Regional Hospital in Housekeeping and Laundry. Up until the past year Heather worked at ICON as the Tax Assistant for the Health Rider Division where they were so concerned and patient with her illness.
From her earliest years, Heather had a great love of books and reading. While still in high school she worked as the children?s librarian at the Smithfield Carnegie Library ? a job that she dearly loved. Before her mission she was a children?s book buyer for the Book Table in Logan, and following her mission she worked in the Jackson Hole Library as an Assistant Librarian. She was very artistic and enjoyed working with stained glass, watercolors and drawing. She was learning to fly fish, but was often seen sitting on the bank reading a good book. She loved nature and simplicity in all things, which she shared in a special closeness with her Mother. She and her Dad had a common love for British humor, the Scottish Highlands and mysteries.
Her brothers and sisters: Grayson Kristen Downs, Matthew Mindy Downs, Crissy Downs, Holly Charley Parson, Jessica Jason Benson, and Dee Downs Serving in the Michigan, Detroit Mission, were central to her life as were her nieces and nephews; Avery and Abigail Downs, Jackson, Matisyn, Carter and Alivia Downs, Max and Gabrielle Parson, and Isabelle Benson. She is also survived by loving grandparents; Louise G. Hampton and Glen E. and LoRee M. Downs. Aunts and Uncles; Jack Jr. and Karen Hampton, Bonnie and Brock Benson, Holly and Rick Williams, Scott Douglass and her many cousins. She was preceded in death by her grandfather Jack C. Hampton Sr., her Aunt Susan Hampton Douglass and her Uncles Dee Glen Downs and Michael Cody Hampton.
Heather was endowed with the ability to bless people?s lives, and her love and wisdom were gifts she freely gave. We will carry her in our hearts until we are all reunited. Her life was a life well loved and well lived
A special thank you to the family physician Dr. Gary L. Harris and his staff, Dr. Ali Ben-Jacob her oncologist, Dr. Lee Broadbent and staff, Dr. Sandra Buys and the staff at the Huntsman Center, Dr. Leland Rogers and staff at Ogden Regional Hospital, and Utah Heritage/Odyssey Hospice especially Heather?s nurse, Julie Beezer, for their kindness and tender loving care to Heather and our family.
Funeral services will be held at 12 noon, Friday, October 3, 2003 at the Smithfield 1st/2nd ward chapel, 175 South 100 West, with Bishop Lance Lawson conducting. Friends and family may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Nelson Funeral Home, 85 South Main, Smithfield and from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the church prior to the services. She will be buried in the Smithfield City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers Heather requested donations be made in her memory to the Smithfield Carnegie Library. Condolences may be extended to the family online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com .