Martha M. Downs

Schroon Lake; Martha M. Downs 97, passed away peacefully at the Adirondack Tri County Nursing Home in North Creek, Friday November 6, 2015..
Martha and her twin brother Malcolm Gibbs were born January 12, 1918 in North Ticonderoga, NY to Philetus and Arvilla Spaulding Gibbs. They had 8 other children and Martha was the last to survive. She was also predeceased by Vincent Clark, an infant and LaRee Clark Devine, her brothers, Malcolm, Millard, Edmond, Paul and Dale Gibbs, and her sisters, Ruth Watson, Ella Mae Denman, Geraldine Morett and Neva Gregory. .
Martha was married to Charles Murdock of South Schroon. He was killed on August 28, 1944 in France in WWII, and is buried in the St. James Military Cemetery near the village of St. James, France. Martha married Robert (Bob) Downs in 1947. He had moved to Schroon Lake after serving with the Seabees in the Pacific during WWII. They were married almost 50 years when he died in 1996.
She and Bob were founders of the Schroon Lake Camp of Gideon's International, an organization that distributes Bibles to hospitals, hotels and motels domestically and worldwide. They gave the land for the Mountainside Bible Chapel to be built and were original members of that church in South Schroon as well as supporters of the Mountainside Academy.
Before it was disbanded, Martha presided as Matron, Order of Eastern Star, Jeptha Chapter of the Glendale Lodge in Pottersville, NY. Martha loved to sing, so much so, she would attend Seventh Day Adventist Church on Saturday, Protestant Services on Sunday and Catholic Church on Monday. A song that will be heard during the funeral service is, "I'II Keep on Singing". Now she sings with the angels.
She is survived by a son LeRoy (Elizabeth Anne) Murdock of Westminster, MD; daughters Loris (Leo) Clark of Schroon Lake and Linda Smith of Jacksonville, Fl., seven grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and her great-great granddaughter, Peyton LaRee.
The family would like to thank the staff of Adirondack Tri County Nursing Home for their care of Martha for the past 11 years.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials take the form of donations to the charity of one's choice..
A Funeral Service will be held Tuesday November 10, 2015 at Mountainside Bible Church at 10:30 AM. Interment will follow at the Schroon Lake Community Cemetery.
Friends and family may call at Mountainside Bible Church from 9:30 until the time of the service.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Edward L. Kelly Funeral Home, Schroon Lake.