Jennifer A. Downing (nee Greenley), 72, of Mount Laurel, NJ, passed away on July 2, 2024 surrounded by her family at Virtua Hospital in Marlton, NJ.
Jen was born on April 13, 1952 in Des Moines, Iowa to parents Jack & Ethelmae (nee Johnson) Greenley. After Jen graduated from Cedar Falls High School in 1970, she continued her education and earned her undergraduate degree in social work at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. She eventually went on to earn her Master of Social Work at Ohio State University.
While at Wartburg College, she met the love of her life, Brian. They were married on December 18, 1971 at the young age of 19. They had their first son, Travis, exactly one year later to the day while still attending Wartburg. Travis actually attended a few classes with Jen there.
After graduating with her master’s degree, Jen pursued a career as a Social Worker helping troubled teens. A few years later, she and Brian would have their second son, Blake. Brian’s career would have them relocate from Aurora, CO to St. Louis, MO for a short period and eventually relocate them to their final home in Mount Laurel, NJ.
Jen was a private, unostentatious person yet lived a vibrant life. She could remodel an entire home by herself multiple times, paint, play piano, knit, nurture a garden full of flowers, vegetables, and herbs, trade stocks, and debate political topics. She was fiercely independent but was happiest spending time with her family and her dog, Mia. Whether that was at the beach, hosting countless holiday events for the entire family, visiting her sister, Becky, at Beverly Farm, visiting her sister Sue and husband Chris in Colorado, texting with her son Blake and daughter-in-law Georgia, or just laughing while telling stories around the kitchen table at home with her son Travis, daughter-in-law, Kelly, and granddaughters Kylie and Taylor.
Jen was predeceased by her husband Brian K. Downing, her mother Ethelmae V. (nee Johnson) Greenley, and her father Jack J. Greenley. She is survived by her sons Travis (Kelly) Downing of Mount Laurel, NJ and Blake (Georgia) Downing of Greenwood Village, CO; her granddaughters Kylie Huntley of St. Petersburg, FL and Taylor Downing of Mount Laurel, NJ; and her sisters Susan (Chris Ida) Greenley of Fort Collins, CO and Rebecca Greenley of Godfrey, IL.
All obituary information has been taken from the funeral home, newspaper or other online resource.
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