On the morning of December 5, 2024 La Nelle (Hoermann) Downs peacefully went home to be with her Lord and Savior.
She was born January 15, 1934 in Seguin to Alvin “Daddy Louse” and Reatha “Todda” Hoermann where she resided happily her entire life and was blessed to be a home maker serving her family and supporting the family business as a mother, grandmother, & great grandmother.
We won’t know until heaven how greatly she impacted the lives of people in our community with her faithful example. Recently, she was honored for 60 years of faithful service at First Baptist Church Seguin. Her passion for serving as a Sunday School teacher has inspired so many of us to love and follow Jesus which was her desire in life. She enthusiastically shared her favorite season of life was being “born again” into a new life with Christ as a young adult and spent her life living out the Great Commission.
Time spent with family was always a priority whether it be around the Sunday dinner table, celebrating birthdays, or cooking and serving the catch of the day on the Texas coast.
She fervently prayed for each one of us and used scripture to share encouraging notes, seeing us through the ups and downs of life.
She would describe herself as “a child bride” which enabled her and her loving husband of more than 50 years, James Olen Downs, to amass quite a family. She is preceded in death by her husband, parents, sister (Mary Baker), and two of her children, daughter Codi Lee Downs and son Douglas Clayton Downs. She is survived by her son Jeffrey Olen Downs (Conee), Clay’s devoted partner Debbie Lowe; brother King Hoermann (Karen); grandchildren Tom (Betsy), Marc (Andrea), Calesse (Scott), Clarie (Brandon), Cindy (Jimmy), Audra (Hondo), Kelli, and Jared (Jodie); great grandchildren Olivia, Emma, Sofia, Atticus, Ryan, Cole, Kendall, Kylie, Caleb, Tyler, Lane, Tenley, Luke, Emma, Shay, and Cade; and extended family to include her church family and friends.
Please come join us for a celebration of life service at First Baptist Church, Seguin on Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 11 a.m. with the Reverend Dr. Brice Mandaville and the Reverend Jeremy Roy officiating. A reception will follow in the fellowship hall. For those who desire, the service will be livestreamed at https://vimeo.com/event/4774618
Private interment will be held at a later date in San Geronimo Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Bush Bunny Brenda, (Orphans Unlimited, 562 South HW 123 Bypass #301, Seguin, TX 78155) www.orphansunlimited.org
We are very grateful to Jeff and Conee Downs who lovingly cared for our sweet Granny in their home, meeting her every need, in her final years here on earth.
You are invited to sign the guest book at www.treshewell.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Tres Hewell Mortuary, 165 Tor Dr., Seguin, Texas, 78155, 830-549-5912.