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Jane (Raab) Downing
JANE ELIZABETH (RAAB) DOWNING
Iowa City
Jane Elizabeth (Raab) Downing, 62, passed away on Sept. 6, 2017, at the Clarkston Specialty Healthcare Center in Clarkston, Mich. Her memorial service was held on Sept. 8 at the Modetz Funeral Home in Orion Township, Mich. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery on July 2, 2018, at 2 p.m. To share a thought, memory or condolence, please visit the funeral home website at www.gayandciha.com.
Jane was born on July 2, 1955, in Clinton, Iowa, the daughter of Ernest Raab and Dorothy (Saville) Raab. She graduated from Mount St. Clare Academy in 1973 and from the University of Iowa in 1977 with a business degree. In 1989, she earned a master's degree from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich.
On May 26, 1979, Jane was united in marriage to Dr. David Downing at St. Mary's Church in Clinton. They resided in the Lake Orion, Mich., area. While in Michigan, Jane worked first for Oakland University, then for Durakon Industries and finally Kelly Services Inc. until her retirement in 2009. Jane served on the Board of Trustees and as treasurer of the Women's Survival Center, Pontiac, Mich., and on the Board of Trustees of Freedom House, Detroit, Mich.
Jane had many interests in life. She had exquisite taste in clothes, and she and David were connoisseurs who enjoyed visiting fine restaurants and cooking together. She also relished reading - especially biographies - classic movies and vacations on Mackinac Island. But, above all, Jane cherished the time with her nieces and nephews. Jane was the aunt who always chose the perfect gift, was willing at any time to read a story, and gave the best hugs.
Jane was preceded in death by her father.
She is survived by her husband, David; her brothers, John (Peg) Raab of Iowa City, Iowa, and Michael (Sheri) Raab of Boone, Iowa; nieces and nephews, Rebecca Raab (Mikko Wolf) of Chicago, Kevin Raab (Kathleen Montes) of Crossroads, Texas, Julie (Bryan) Artman of Spring, Texas, and Adam (Jolene) Raab of Iowa City, Iowa; great-nieces and -nephews, Olivia and Bryan Michael Artman of Spring, Texas, Gwendolyn and Calvin Raab of Iowa City, Iowa, and Paavo Wolf of Chicago.
Jane is deeply missed by her family.
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