Betty V Downs Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Betty V. Downs, died May 19, 2014 at Hospice of Northwest Ohio from complications of seizures. She was born in Toledo on April 21, 1919 to James and Freda (Goode) Creighton. Her father died when she was an infant and she was raised by her mother and step-father, James Hankey. After graduating from Waite High School, class of 1937, Betty attended the Academy Sapho School of Dressmaking Design in Detroit. She married Arnold Teize and they had one daughter, Gale. Betty worked in the Spitzer Building, then began teaching millinery classes out of her home in the 1950’s. She opened her own business, Cre’Bet Custom Millinery Design and Supplies on Sylvania Avenue in the 1960’s, where she designed hats and bridal veils. After her divorce, Betty married the love of her life, Dick Downs, whom she had dated in high school. They were married 37 years until his death in 2008. Dick and Betty lived a charmed life spending months of every winter living on their sailboat in the Caribbean, flying in their Cessna, and travelling around the country in their Airstream. Betty was preceded in death by her first husband, Arnold Teize; second husband, Dick Downs and sister, Geraldine Little. She is survived by her daughter, Gale (Mike) Kilcorse, Lambertville, MI; grandchildren, Mike (Amy Templin), Sylvania, OH, Tim (Amy) , Raleigh, NC, Erinne (Josh) Conley, Toledo, and Jeff, Columbus, OH; great grandchildren, Mick, Luke, and Emily Kilcorse, Logan Kilcorse, Killian, Delaney and Leah Conley. Betty is also survived by step-daughters, Jennifer Rogers, Shelley Downs, and Jane (Dan) Blackshaw, as well as their children and grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Frances Symington and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held from 11:00am to 1:00pm Friday, May 23 at Ansberg-West Funeral Home 3000 Sylvania Avenue. Interment will be private. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider Ronald McDonald House or Hospice of Northwest Ohio. Online condolences may be left Betty’s family at www.ansberg-west.com Words cannot express how thankful the Kilcorse family is to the staff of Parkcliffe Community in Toledo, especially Mary and Martha, for their loving care of Betty during her last year. A very special thank you to Hospice of Northwest Ohio for the peaceful, tender care given to Betty during her final days.

Betty V Downs

April 21, 1919 - May 19, 2014