Bowdoinham - Christopher Michael Downs, 68, passed away unexpectedly at home on November 12, 2021, of a pulmonary embolism. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Jill (Partington). He is the father of Ian and Kyle (Heather Seymour) and grandfather to his beloved Ava. He was predeceased by his parents, Glenna (Duggan) and Charles Downs II, and brothers Peter and Charles III. He is survived by brothers Tom(Sheila), John (Rima), Mathew (Linda Almond), Andrew, Steven and his sister Glenna Downs Besnoff; in-laws: Beth Downs, Gale Gates (Alan) and David Partington (Maryann) as well as his nephews and nieces: Sarah Rudis (Steven), Charles IV (Sharlene), Meghan (Justin Bouthillette), Aaron Besnoff, Nathan Besnoff, Trevor Downs, Jason Gates (Leah), Jenna Briggs (Rusty), Seth Gates, Morgan Carcieri (Anthony), Chelsea Reyes (Isaac) and Sam Partington.
Christopher was an outdoorsman, played the clarinet and saxophone, and enjoyed scuba diving (like his Dad). He was an excellent photographer taking courses at Rhode Island College and memorializing the life of his family through the many photos he took. His workshop walls were covered with blown up photos of family and nature. He loved Jazz with the nickname of (Art Blakey) and was also a big fan of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. His sons joked that he was the king of the "air guitar" and infamous hand dancing. He loved going up to the camp in Eustis, Maine for fishing, canoeing on the Dead River, and hiking the Bigelow Range.
Chris was 65 years old he when he got his first tattoo, of his own design. When he found out that Kyle and Heather were going to have a baby he drafted up an amazingly simple design with her name, AVA, in small overlapping letters on his right wrist. He wanted to keep her close to him.
After graduating from Lincoln High School in Rhode Island he worked at Electric Boat in Quonset Point. The day after they were married he and Jill moved to Maine and he worked at Bath Iron works for over 35 years. Chris coached his son's soccer and baseball teams in Brunswick. He loved to travel and went on many cruises in the Caribbean with his family, his favorite places to visit were Mexico and Belize. He was especially close to his sister-in-law Gale Partington Gates, her husband Alan and their children Jason, Jenna and Seth. Most family vacations involved planning with the whole crew and memories of those adventures will live on. Chris and Jill spent their lives raising their sons and renovating a New England Farmhouse. They had recently purchased their retirement home in Bowdoinham, ME.
There will be a celebration of his life in the spring. Memorial donations can be made to NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill), 154 Waterman St. Ste 5B, Providence, RI 02906 or the Bowdoinham Food Pantry 9 Main Street, Bowdoinham, Maine 04008.
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