James Warren Downs, 83, was born October 1, 1936 on a farm near Overton, Nebraska. He went home to the Lord on January 3, 2020 and rededicated his faith on January 2, 2020. Jim graduated in 1955 from Lexington High School in Lexington, Nebraska. He joined the United States Army Military Police in 1956 and served two years in Korea.

In 1958, Jim met Martha Fecht; they were joined in holy union on July 20, 1960 and were blessed with four children, Judy, Sandy, Kevin and Jason.

Upon returning home, he was employed by Monroe Auto Equipment Company for 34 years. He retired from being an experimental mechanics engineer and purchasing agent at the age of 59. He served his community and church as a Sunday school teacher, school board secretary and disaster chairman of Dawson County Red Cross.

In 1996, Jim and Martha moved to Carthage, Missouri where they currently reside and are members of the First Baptist church of Carthage.
Survivors, privileged to be loved by him are, his wife, Martha of 59 years of Carthage, Missouri; two daughters, Judy (MIchael) Madden of Norman, Oklahoma and Sandy Downs of Joplin, Missouri; two sons, Kevin (Cathy) of Holly Springs, North Carolina, and Jason (Angie) of Lincoln, Nebraska; four grandchildren, Hunter (Janee), Riley, McKayla and Seth. Also survived are one brother, Stanley (Janea) of Manefee, California and one sister, Martha Mae Smith of Cozad, Nebraska.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Mark and Hazel Downs, one sister, LaVonna Beardsley, one brother Lowell Downs and one granddaughter, Elizabeth Downs.