Joanne Shirley Downs (Olson), age 75, died June 30, 2011 in the company of herdaughters at the Vashon Community Care Center. Joanne was born on March 13,1936 to Paul and Lena Faye Olson in West Seattle. She attended West Seattle HighSchool and Stanford University. While at Stanford she met Bertram Wilson Downs,whom she married in 1956. Joanne and Bert had three daughters Cathy, Diana, andJennie, whom they raised in Boulder, Colorado. Bert and Joanne enjoyed a happymarriage until Bert's death in 1994.Vashon Island had been near to Joanne's heart since her childhood. She exposed herfamily to the joys of island life during summer visits over the years and madeVashon Island her permanent residence in 1997, after the death of her husband.In addition to raising her family, Joanne enjoyed music, animals and academicenrichment. Joanne played the piano and organ for her own enjoyment and that ofothers. She was her church's organist and a piano accompanist for ballet classesover many years in Boulder, Colorado and more recently on Vashon. Her love ofanimals drove her longtime personal involvement in showing dogs and horses aswell as providing instruction in dog obedience to both adults and children.Joanne was a proud and loving parent. She instilled in her daughters the confidenceto pursue their individual passions, the ability to face obstacles and the courage toovercome them. She will be remembered as an animal lover, an active churchmember, a caring friend, a loving parent and a strong, self-sufficient woman. Joannewas a unique individual and she will be greatly missed.Joanne is survived by her three daughters: Cathy Nicholson of Dane, Wisconsin;Diana Escalante of Madison, Wisconsin; and Jennifer Man of Saint Paul, Minnesotaand by her sister, Karen Miller of Hansville, Washington.A private family service was held. In lieu flowers, memorials to Vashon CommunityCare would be appreciated (www.vashoncommunitycare.org).