Leola M. 'Lee' Downey

MILLERTON — Leola M. Downey, 96, who taught for 25 years in the Webutuck Central School District, died July 12, 2008, at Noble Horizons in Salisbury. She had lived most of her life in the town of North East.

Mrs. Downey, who was known as Lee, began her career teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in the Adirondacks in 1932. At Webutuck, she taught seventh- and eighth-grade social studies before retiring in 1971.

She had been a volunteer and member of the NorthEast-Millerton Library, an officer and member of the Town of North East Historical Society and attended St. Patrick’s Church in Millerton.

Born on Jan. 11, 1912, in Lake Pleasant, N.Y., on the south slope of the Adirondacks, Leola Josephine Morrison first left home at age 13 to work for her board in Wells, N.Y., so she could attend high school since her community had no secondary school or buses. She graduated at age 16 and was captain of the basketball team.

She attended Albany State Teachers College (now the State University of New York at Albany) and worked for room and board by cleaning, doing laundry and caring for children in the household of an Albany physician. She graduated in 1932. She taught for a year in Hoffmeister, N.Y., and then went to Plattsburgh State Teacher’s College to obtain her K-12 teaching certification. A classmate at Albany, Violet H. Simmons, encouraged her to take a job in Miss Simmons’ hometown of Millerton in 1934.

There she was charmed by a young man, Augustine M. Downey, who owned a Mobil gas station at the checkerboard turn. She married Gus on June 25, 1939. They were together for 58 years, until Mr. Downey’s death at age 90 in 1997.

She often told her students that anything worth doing at all was worth doing well. With her life, she achieved that.

Mrs. Downey is survived by two sons, Leo A. Downey of Sedona, Ariz., and Edward E. Downey of Millerton; two grandchildren, Kyle and Evan Downey; numerous nieces and nephews; a brother, Floyd Weaver of Lake Pleasant.

She was predeceased by a brother, LeRoy Weaver.

Arrangements are under the care of the Valentine Funeral Home in Millerton.

Services were held July 16 at St. Patrick’s Church, with burial in St. Patrick’s Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The North East Historical Society, PO Box 727, Millerton, NY 12546; the Millerton-North East Library, POBox 786, Millerton, NY 12546; or St. Patrick’s Church Cemetery Fund, Immaculate Conception-St. Patrick Parish, 4 Lavelle Road, Amenia, NY 12501.