Mary "Anne" (St. John) Downey

Anne St. John Downey, 82, of Olympia, died Saturday, September 3, 2016 at UK Medical Center. She was born July 25, 1934 in Carthage, Missouri to the late Edna Hockett and Henry St. John.

Anne had a lifelong love of music.  At age of five she was given piano instruction by her aunt who ran a school of music in nearby Joplin.  This proved to be a real asset for making a living later.  At the age of twenty-three, she was supporting herself by working in fine restaurants playing the organ as an entertainer in NY. During this time she met her future lifelong mate, Keith, who had come to hear her play. Soon after their marriage in September 1958, Anne began to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Openly discussing the value of her Bible training led her husband to also become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.  Her intense love of God and for people motivated her to volunteer in the ministry work, teaching others the Bible.  She did this full time for ten years and part time the rest of her life.  In 1974 they moved from New York to Kentucky to serve in the Christian ministry in Mt. Sterling.  She is survived by husband Keith Downey, daughters Rebecca Murphy (Critt, deceased) and Carolyn Smith (Rodney), and son William Downey (Wrenn), and granddaughters Rachel Book (Scott), Michelle Downey.