Fred M.S. Downs

Fred M.S. Downs, 84, of Cincinnatus, NY, passed away on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at the Guthrie Cortland Medical Center, Cortland, NY. 

Fred was born in Philadelphia, PA, on September 23, 1940, the son of the late Thomas and Carolyn Sawyer Downs.  A longtime resident of Cincinnatus, Fred was a graduate of the Cincinnatus Central School.  A member and elder of the United Presbyterian Church of Cincinnatus, Fred was a commissioned Lay Preacher for many years. He had also served as a Lay Preacher for Smithville Flats First Presbyterian Church. He was  active in the Free and Accepted Masons where he had served as Past District Deputy Grand Master, Past Assistant Grand Lecturer, and Past Master and Secretary of the Marathon Lodge #438 F&AM; a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Cortland Chapter; member of the Cincinnatus Fire Department and Cincinnatus Emergency Squad, a former Scoutmaster, school board member and fire commissioner. He proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1963 until his honorable discharge in 1965. Fred retired from the Cincinnatus Central School where he had been a bus driver for many years.  Prior to that, he had worked at N.C.C. Industries for 32 years and also at Saulsbury Fire Equipment.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary Upham Downs; and his sons, James (Jennifer) Downs of Burke, VA and Jeremy (Amy) Downs of DeRuyter. He also leaves behind his grandchildren, Neyla, Evan, Cassandra, Hannah and Emma; a brother, David Downs of Hawaii; a sister, Mary (Delbert) Wemple of Maryland; a brother-in-law, William (Mary) Killebrew of Cincinnatus; several nieces, nephews and cousins. 

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a granddaughter, Aubrey; a brother, Charles Downs;  a sister, Roxanne Killebrew; and a nephew, William Killebrew, Jr.

The family will be present to receive friends at the K.L. Sharp Funeral Home, Cincinnatus, NY, on Friday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a Masonic service at 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the United Presbyterian Church of Cincinnatus on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. with Pastor George Carruth officiating. Burial, with military honors, will be in Cincinnatus Cemetery.