Robert C. S. Downs of Boalsburg, PA passed away peacefully on September 22, 2023, at Mount Nittany Medical Center under University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hospice Care with loving family at his side. Bob was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 23, 1937, to Norbert and Laura Downs.
After preparing at Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, NJ and at Wellington College in Berks, England, Bob attended Harvard College where he was a member of Leverett House and the Class of 1960. Bob graduated with an A.B. in English. In 1965, he received an M.F.A. from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa. Bob taught at Hunter College of the City of New York in the 1960's; was a professor at Colby-Sawyer College (New London, NH) in the 1970's, before teaching in and becoming Director of the MFA program at the University of Arizona in Tucson; and, in the 1980's, became Director of the MFA program at Penn State University from which he retired as Distinguished Professor Emeritus. Bob mentored many students in his career and enjoyed hearing from them when they published and established writing careers or just wanted to reconnect.
Bob published seven novels, one collection of short stories, and wrote the screenplay for the CBS-Television production of "White Mama," which starred Bette Davis. Three of his novels have been produced for television, one each by NBC, CBS, and the BBC, the last of which won five British Academy Awards and was voted Best Television Film of the year in Great Britain in 1981. His awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship and an NAACP Image Award nomination.
A lifelong athlete, Bob loved football, rugby, track, and golf. He treasured his golf friends and their meetings and trips in his senior years. A college sports fan, Bob would make sure life included viewing games and events at every possible opportunity.
Bob was preceded in death by his brother Lawrence. He is survived by his wife Barbara Downs and his daughters, Susan Laura Downs and Christina Downs Mills and her husband Mark. Bob was a devoted uncle to nephews Christopher Downs and his children Lancy and Michael (Nicky), and to William Rosselli Del Turco and his wife Lisa and sons Henry, Bonaccorso, and Luca, and to his niece Bethany Downs. He was close to his brother-in-law Thomas Lewry and his wife Stephanie and their four children Natasha Beauvais, Ben Lewry, David Lewry, and Claudia McDermott.
A memorial service for Bob will be held at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 208 West Foster Ave, State College, PA. on December 9, 2023, at 11AM. Live streaming of the service will be available on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/standrewsc/).at the time of the service and afterwards. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bob's memory to the charities listed on his website www.robertCSdowns.com.
Published in slightly revised form, by Centre Daily Times (Bellefonte, PA) October 13–15, 2023.
