Changes

A native of Farmerville in Union Parish, Downs is the second of three children of Woodrow Alexander Downs and Juel Meredith Downs Chappell (1919–2014), a native of Grayson in Caldwell Parish and a daughter of James Monroe Downs and the former Pearl Jane Hearne. After Woodrow Downs's death, Juel married Dr. William Chappell, Jr., since deceased, from whom she acquired a step-daughter, Nancy Oviatt and her husband Steve of Catharpin, [[Virginia]], and a step-son, William Chappell, III, of Pearisburg in Giles County, Virginia. In her later years, Juel, who had worked for the office of state social services in Farmerville, moved to Ruston. She instituted the first [[Girl Scouts]] chapter in Farmerville.<ref name=juelobit/>  

A native of Farmerville in Union Parish, Downs is the second of three children of Woodrow Alexander Downs and Juel Meredith Downs Chappell (1919–2014), a native of Grayson in Caldwell Parish and a daughter of James Monroe Downs and the former Pearl Jane Hearne. After Woodrow Downs's death, Juel married Dr. William Chappell, Jr., since deceased, from whom she acquired a step-daughter, Nancy Oviatt and her husband Steve of Catharpin, [[Virginia]], and a step-son, William Chappell, III, of Pearisburg in Giles County, Virginia. In her later years, Juel, who had worked for the office of state social services in Farmerville, moved to Ruston. She instituted the first [[Girl Scouts]] chapter in Farmerville.<ref name=juelobit/>  

Downs has an older brother, Robert Warren Downs (born 1943) and wife, Susan Jo Downs, of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Texas]]. Their sister, Jane Downs Watts of Ruston, the wife of Tucker Watts, was formerly married to Bruce N. Lynn, II (born 1950), the son of the Republican former State Representative Bruce Lynn, I, of Caddo Parish in northwestern Louisiana.<ref name=juelobit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thenewsstar/obituary.aspx?n=juel-chappell&pid=172688581&fhid=6320|title=Juel Chappell Obituary|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|accessdate=October 5, 2014}}</ref>

Downs has an older brother, Robert Warren Downs (born 1943) and wife, Susan Jo Downs, of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Texas]]. Their sister, Jane Downs Watts of Ruston, the wife of Tucker Watts, was formerly married to Bruce N. Lynn, II (born 1950), the son of the Republican former State Representative [[Bruce Lynn]], Sr., of Caddo Parish in northwestern Louisiana.<ref name=juelobit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thenewsstar/obituary.aspx?n=juel-chappell&pid=172688581&fhid=6320|title=Juel Chappell Obituary|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|accessdate=October 5, 2014}}</ref>

Coincidentally, former Representative Bruce Lynn's wife died on the same day as Hollis Downs's mother. Margaret Lynn and Juel Downs Chappell hence shared three grandchildren, one of whom was Ross Alexander Lynn (1979–2013), a [[photographer]] and mountain climber killed in a farming accident on the Lynn plantation in Caddo Parish at the age of thirty-three.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=margaret-lynn&pid=172688600&fhid=10218#sthash.Q5qGNiY3.dpuf|title=Margaret Lynn|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=October 5, 2014}}</ref>The Ross Alexander Lynn Foundation was established in his honor in Ruston.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bozemandailychronicle/obituary.aspx?pid=166685752|title=Ross Alexander Lynn|publisher=''Bozeman Daily Chronicle''|location=[[Bozeman, Montana|Bozeman]], [[Montana]]|date=August 30, 2013|accessdate=October 5, 2014}}</ref>

Coincidentally, former Representative Bruce Lynn's wife died on the same day as Hollis Downs's mother. Margaret Lynn and Juel Downs Chappell hence shared three grandchildren, one of whom was Ross Alexander Lynn (1979–2013), a [[photographer]] and mountain climber killed in a farming accident on the Lynn plantation in Caddo Parish at the age of thirty-three.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=margaret-lynn&pid=172688600&fhid=10218#sthash.Q5qGNiY3.dpuf|title=Margaret Lynn|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=October 5, 2014}}</ref>The Ross Alexander Lynn Foundation was established in his honor in Ruston.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bozemandailychronicle/obituary.aspx?pid=166685752|title=Ross Alexander Lynn|publisher=''Bozeman Daily Chronicle''|location=[[Bozeman, Montana|Bozeman]], [[Montana]]|date=August 30, 2013|accessdate=October 5, 2014}}</ref>