Roberta E. (Azbell) Downs

Roberta "Bobbi" Downs, formally of Wears Valley, Tennessee and Gahanna, Ohio passed away Saturday December 26, 2020 at Holzer Medical Center Gallipolis, Ohio. She was born November 3, 1941 in Nelsonville, Ohio, oldest daughter of the late Robert Azbell Sr. and Elizabeth Rupe Hood. She was the loving mother to daughter Cathy (Terry) Metheney of Vinton, Ohio. She was the loving step grandmother to Jeremy (Misty) Metheney and Matthew Metheney. She was the step-great grandmother to eight grandchildren.

She is survived by two brothers and one sister, Robert Jr. (Carol) Azbell of Northport, Florida, Durward (Deanne) Azbell of Powell, Ohio and Nikki (Paul) Smith of Pataskala, Ohio. Also survived by several nieces and nephews.

She retired in August 2007 after working 23 years for the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. She attended the Wears Valley United Methodist Church in Wears Valley, Tennessee for the last 8 years and First Baptist Church of Gahanna, Ohio for 30 years prior. She was very committed to her church and working with and teaching children over the years. Every Easter, she would hold a church/community Easter egg hunt and conclude it by reading the Easter story to the children.

Bobbi loved spending time with family and talking to them on the phone. It was very important to her to say I love you as much as possible. She never met a stranger. There is a giant void now in the hearts of those who loved and cared for her.

In accordance with her wishes memorial services will be announced at a later date.  Cremation services are under the direction of the McCoy-Moore Funeral Home, Vinton.