Cornelius Downey

  General Notes:

Cornelius T. "Connie" Downey, 90, a longtime resident of Irwin, died Saturday, Jan. 8, 2005, in Mercy Jeannette Hospital. He was born Nov. 6, 1914, in Irwin, a son of the late Martin and Julia Curry Downey. Prior to retirement, he was employed as manager of office services for Westinghouse Headquarters of Pittsburgh. He was a World War II veteran, serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He attended St. Vincent College, where he played basketball and baseball. Connie was very involved in local athletics and will be remembered for playing on many men's baseball teams throughout the area. He was at one time a high school basketball official for the WPIAL. He was a member and past treasurer of the Norwin Historical Society, member of American Legion Post #472 of Manor, and member of the Church of the Immaculate Conception and its Ushers Club. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Charles "Cuddy" Downey. Surviving are his wife of 63 years, Catherine Lauffer Downey; a daughter, Victoria Flaherty and her husband, Bill, of Irwin; two grandchildren, Christian (Monica Morgenthal) Flaherty, of Los Angeles, Calif., and Julia Flaherty, of Irwin; a niece, Pat Anthony, of North Irwin; and a nephew, Thomas Downey, of Massachusetts. Friends will be received Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the JOSEPH F. OTT FUNERAL HOME INC., 504 Oak St., Irwin. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Church of The Immaculate Conception. Interment will follow in Irwin Union Cemetery, North Huntingdon. John F. Ott, assisting the family with arrangements

Cornelius married Catherine Lauffer, daughter of Frank P. Lauffer and Ethel M. Davis. (Catherine Lauffer was born on 13 Nov 1915 in Pennsylvania, died on 27 Jan 2005 in Health Care Centre, North Huntingdon, PA and was buried in Union Cemetery, Irwin, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania.)