James Downey

Pastor James L. “Jim” Downey, 65, of Evansville, Indiana, passed away on Monday, July 6, 2015, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Jim was born on April 14, 1950, the son of the late Robert and Dorothy (Price) Downey. He was married to DeAnna Hughes on December 12, 1970.

Jim served 26 years as a Pastor. Since 2000, he and his wife, DeAnna, are NAMB appointed missionaries. He served as Director of Missions for East Central Baptist Association in Indiana; and before retiring at the end of 2011 from the State Convention of Baptist in Indiana, was the Church Planter Strategist for the Southern Region of Indiana. Though “officially” retired from the State Convention, he has done a number of “intentional interims” helping the churches as they sought new Pastors. They have two grown sons, John Eric (Melissa) Downey and Bradley Downey who served as a Sergeant in the Marine Corps with a tour of duty in Iraq. He greatly enjoyed being the grandfather of his four grandchildren: Abi, Mady, Eli, and Tali.

Jim has been active in Indiana’s Disaster Relief, helped coordinate World Changers in Muncie, Indiana for nine years, and has been a Church Planting Pastor starting two Hispanic Congregations in Indiana and helped numerous Church plants throughout Indiana get started. Jim and DeAnna have taken several Missions Trips to Mexico, Guatemala, and Africa, and Jim has had a long-term Mission work going on in Susab, Haiti since 1997. DeAnna is fluent in Spanish and American Sign Language and is currently retired from teaching in both public and private Christian schools.

His denominational activities include serving as President for Indiana’s Pastor’s Conference, serving as First Vice President for both Ohio State Convention and State Convention of Baptist in Indiana, Trustee to Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary from 1995 to 2005, Trustee at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, served on the State Executive Board in both Ohio and Indiana, directed and taught for Oklahoma Baptist University Extension in Indiana teaching several counseling and Church History courses, as well as, teaching for Boyce Bible College Extension in Ohio for several years.

Jim received a B.A. Degree from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee, and a M.Div. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He was licensed by Rosedale Baptist Church in Ft. Branch, Indiana in 1973, and ordained by Shoals Baptist Church in Shoals, Indiana, in 1975.

Jim is also survived by a brother, John Patrick Downey, and two sisters, Connie (Eugene) Gilbert and Janelle (Larry) Wagoner.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents and sister, Dorothy Winberry.

Funeral services will be held at the Calvary Baptist Church on Friday, July 10, 2015, at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. John Rogers and Rev. Mark Hearn officiating. Burial will follow at 3:00 p.m. CDT at Oak Hill Cemetery in Evansville, Indiana.

Friends and family may call at Voss Funeral Home on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Friday after 9:30 a.m. until time of service.

The family asks that memorial checks be written to the Calvary Baptist Church and Faith of Rebecca’s Orphanage.

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