Gale Meredith Downes of Dearborn passed away peacefully on May 5, 2021, at the impressive age of 97. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Dorothy; son, Kenneth (Mary Ann) Downes; daughter, Carol (Kevin) O'Day; brother, Denzil (Vera) Downes; three grandchildren, Carrie (Jon) Teefey, Kimberly (Joseph) Dodds, and Laura (Steve) Hernandez; five great-grandchildren, Logan, Lorelei, Jack, Journey, and Madelyn; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Retired from Uniroyal Tire since 1986, Gale enjoyed a long and fulfilling retirement. Gale was a true kid at heart, and he was highly active well into his eighties, always up for exploring new places or creating projects around the house. A consummate grower of tomatoes, expert candymaker, and sharp-witted master of silliness, Gale loved tinkering in his garden, sketching, riding his bike, traveling with Dorothy and his brother-in-law Bob, playing golf, and spending lots of time with his kids and grandkids.

Gale/Dad/GrandpaWe loved having you in our lives and hope that wherever you are, you know that your time here was a life well lived, full of love and laughter. As you might have said, "That was a good sample."

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages those who knew and loved him to share a favorite memory or photo of Gale.