MargAnna Nabors Downs, 87, died June 5. 
She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Grady Wilson Downs; parents, James Tony Nabors and Ola Morris Nabors; brothers, James Lillard Nabors (and his wife, Edna), Hobart Verble Nabors, and William Morris Nabors.
She is survived by her daughter, Gratia Downs Strother (John Thomas) of Hendersonville; grandchildren, John Wilson Strother and Bethany Charis Strother; sister-in-laws, Lois Downs Bullard of Castalian Springs, Brownie Prater Nabors of McMinnville, and Patricia Russell Nabors of Huntsville, Ala.; and several nieces and nephews; and by family and friends who have surrounded the Downs family with love and prayer.
She was baptized into the Christain faith at Bascom Methodist Church, Vervilla on July 14, 1945.  She was a lifelong Methodist, and faithful member of Gallatin First United Methodist Church.  She lived out her faith daily, encouraging and serving others. She was a graduate of McMinnville High School, where she was active in 4-H. She graduated from Andrew Jackson University on Nov. 8, 1946 with a bachelor of science degree. In college, she met Grady, and they married on June 15, 1958. She worked side by side with her husband for 43 years as a bookkeeper and as the office manager of his accounting practice.  She will be remembered as a lady who dearly loved her family and friends, and was always grateful for God’s many blessings in her life.
Funeral service was held Tuesday from the chapel of Alexander Funeral Home, with Rev. Jerry Wallace, Rev. Franklin Downs, Rev. Bob Snell, and Bishop William Morris officiating. Interment followed at Crestview Memory Garden with Barry Nabors, Jim Nabors, Jason Parker, Butch Byrd, Phillip Byrd, Don Bullard, Elba Dorris, and James Robert Ramsey serving as pallbearers. Steve Nabors, Stanley Nabors Sr. Sid King, Judge James Hunet, and Hester Ward’s Sunday School Class served as honorary pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 149 West Main Strreet, Gallatin, TN 37066.  Online condolences may be submitted at alexanderfh.info@gmail.com. 
Alexander Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Southern Standard
(McMinnville, Tenn.) June 10, 2015