Kathy Downer: An Appreciation

I have mentioned before that I felt somewhat out of my league when I was bumped up to the accelerated class (6B) at Hexter Elementary School in September 1964. All those kids were smart and none more so than Kathy Ann Downer.

A 5-star student

logo of Victor H. Hexter Elementary School in DallasIn school, she was an alpha-female. Math, science, language arts, social studies, history—she excelled at everything. Kathy ran circles around me. To say she gave me an inferiority complex may be an overstatement, but not by much. While I was a borderline member of 6B and later 7B, the teachers and Principal Carl Nutley never had any reasons to question their choice of young Ms. Downer. I recall the special projects we were sometimes required to do. We had to make something at home and bring it in to display before our fellow students. While I complied, my stuff was fair-to-middling. But Kathy’s—Lord have mercy—they were veritable works of art, well-conceived, well-executed things that dazzled all of us. Furthermore, she was pretty and socially adept. Girls and boys alike gravitated toward her. She was popular without striving for popularity. Not remotely insecure, she just seemed to glide from one achievement to another. Kathy Downer was a balanced, focused and active European-American teenager, wise beyond her years.

Kathy Ann Downer in 1971 El ConquistadorWe moved on to Hill Junior High School in September 1966 and began interacting with students from other feeder schools like Reinhardt, Sanger, Reilly and Gill. I had less contact with Kathy in those years, but if she was not an A student and a cheerleader or member of the Lassies drill team, I would be shocked.

Her three years at BA

Then, in September 1968 our time at Bryan Adams High School commenced. You think she missed a beat? She was on the B honor roll as a sophomore and the A honor roll the last two years, and took part in a plethora of extracurricular activities. Kathy was a member of the Spirits her first two years, and then a cheerleader when we were seniors; a member of Tri-Hi-Y; a member of the Quill and Scroll Society; BA’s representative in Goals for Dallas; senior class secretary and editor-in-chief of the 1971 El Conquistador. The annual was a huge undertaking, and the job of leading its staff was bestowed with great care by the teachers and administrators at BA. Kathy and her assistants (Bobbie Jean Caldwell, Robin Rose, Jo Beth Stephenson, Kate Green et al.) created a 416-page book that serves as a valuable historical document. It recalls well life for 3,300 students at our alma mater in the 1970−71 school year.

cover of 1971 El ConquistadorThe staff of the El C had as one of its duties choosing a pair of recipients of the “Gold Cougar Award,” one boy and one girl. The former was Kyle Gooch, and the latter was the equally impressive Kathy Downer. I surely do not mean to stir the pot 47 years after the fact, but her selection would appear to be a conflict of interest!

Kathy, a Razorback

We picked up our diplomas in late May 1971 at Memorial Auditorium in downtown Dallas. Kathy was neither valedictorian (that was Steven Hayter) nor salutatorian (Susan Lamb), but she did graduate with high honors. After the summer had passed, I went south to UT. She went northeast to the University of Arkansas. It is unclear why Kathy decided to become a Razorback—logo of the University of Arkansas Razorbacknot that there’s anything wrong with it. Were one or both of her parents alumni, did she get an academic scholarship, or was she entranced by the “woo pig sooey” call? I am not sure what she majored in at UA, but I can tell you she was a “little sister” for the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. At the time of our 15-year class reunion, she worked as a national sales manager for KXAS-TV. It does not surprise me one bit that Kathy was on a successful career path.

I wish I could give a full description of the other things Kathy Downer has done since 1986, but I know only that she is living somewhere in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

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20 Comments

  • Choi, ha Sook Posted April 30, 2018 4:34 pm

    You have a good memory about girl, Kathy,
    As I grew older, the memory of youth day is more vivid and want to meet the old friend. The benefit of SNS, we also want to find the old friend and get community together nowdays. I am busy nowdays. sorry not to correspond to you promptly.

    • Richard Posted April 30, 2018 4:50 pm

      Ha-Sook, you are so right. As we get older, we tend to look back and remember. In this case, Ms. Downer is worthy of such remembering.

  • Elly Posted April 30, 2018 5:56 pm

    Hi Richard .
    I don/t know nothing about this girl.
    I read this story with pleasure and on this occasion
    I want to greet you and wish you the best !
    Elly

    • Richard Posted April 30, 2018 6:20 pm

      Thanks, Elly. Really, it was a pleasure to remember about Kathy and write this piece to honor a special student in my Dallas days.

  • Myline Cornrl Posted April 30, 2018 6:26 pm

    Hello Rich, it is so sweet of you to remember a friend . Im sure that if she happens to read this, she will appreciate the memories you have of her.

    I hope someday you will also write something about your humble friend from the Philippine archipelago.😂😂

    • Richard Posted April 30, 2018 6:38 pm

      An excellent idea, Dr. Cornel. You are no less deserving than Kathy D!

      • James Franklin Posted May 16, 2018 2:28 pm

        Another Great article Richard! Well written about the B&B Kathy Downer from our elementary, junior high,and high school days.

        • Richard Posted May 16, 2018 5:41 pm

          Jim, fill me in….what’s “B&B”? My guess is bright and beautiful, because that sure describes Kathy. I keep hoping we can find her to let her know she is fondly remembered.

  • Kevin Nietmann Posted April 30, 2018 8:37 pm

    Hi Richard-I remember Kathy well, although I haven’t seen her since 1970. We had a lot of classes together at BA so I knew her fairly well in the classroom environment. What was so striking about her was how smart and hard working she was (always got A’s as I remember) and how nice she was, always friendly and ready with a smile.

    • Richard Posted April 30, 2018 8:43 pm

      We remember her the same….as I said, she just had a wisdom beyond her years….even in grade school! I am hoping to somehow reestablish contact….I found her brother’s address in Dallas and have written….thanks for your comment, Lt. Nietmann!

  • Kenneth Posted April 30, 2018 11:36 pm

    Glad her name wasn’t Debbie! I can’t find her anywhere. She was a pretty girl, I hope she held up! Someone will probably know what happened to her.

    • Richard Posted May 1, 2018 10:22 pm

      No, not your sweet wife. I have since learned that my info was wrong, that she is back in the D/FW area.

  • Denise Burmingham Posted May 1, 2018 10:59 am

    I am sorry to say I did not know her during my time at BA. She sounds like someone I would have liked as a friend!

    • Richard Posted May 1, 2018 10:24 pm

      Like I said, Denise, people just gravitated toward Kathy. Her personality, everything about her was warm and positive.

  • Beverly Watson Thomas Posted May 1, 2018 10:13 pm

    Beautiful and true memories. I was very blessed to call Kathy my friend all through our Hill and BA years. The last I heard (just a few years ago) Kathy and her husband were living just outside the DFW area. Although she is not on Facebook, I do see an occasional photo of her posted with other friends.

    • Richard Posted May 1, 2018 10:25 pm

      Beverly, thank you for this information. I see I was wrong in assuming that she was still in Arkansas. I have written to her brother, Park. He will probably clear it up. Anyway, I just admired her so much….and everybody else did.

  • Judy Williams Smith Posted May 1, 2018 10:37 pm

    I hope she gets to see this. Beautiful tribute

    • Richard Posted May 1, 2018 10:40 pm

      Thank you very much, Judy. As you can probably surmise, I had thought of Kathy many times over the past 40-plus years–always with the utmost respect and admiration. It’s a tribute, and one she fully deserves.

  • Audrey Posted May 2, 2018 11:04 am

    Hi, Rich-Rich, you have priceless and treasured memories of your beautiful years spent in high school.I hope she gets to see this beautiful memories you posted.She would like it.

    • Richard Posted May 2, 2018 11:16 am

      Thank you, Audrey, for reading this story about the illustrious Kathy Downer. Yes, the time comes when she will hear about this story. I hope she will be pleased. But I worry about the paragraph about the Gold Cougar Award and her being chosen by her fellow staffers at the El Conquistador. Minor point.

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