Ross Downing was born in 1890 and thrived as an auctioneer and farmer in Auglaize County, Ohio. As a young man, he courted and married Olive Ruth Andrews and the couple raised three children first living on their farm and then later, they moved to home within a small town, New Hampshire, Ohio.
Ruth, as she was known, also served as an organist for the local Methodist Church and taught piano lessons to local children living in the areas surrounding the farm. Both Ross and Ruth were devoted to their three children who all began careers as educators, although the oldest son eventually served as a vice president at a savings and loan company. The second son oversaw the Department of Defense’s overseas schools for dependent children.
The Ross and Ruth Downing Family Foundation was developed to carry out the legacy of the youngest daughter, Mabel Downing, a teacher, who also married an educator, Fred Clark. Mabel worked as a music teacher and then a learning disability tutor. She and her husband were also active in the Methodist Church and programs for disabled children. Fred started as a teacher and became a principal and administrator for Dayton Public Schools. The Board of Trustees includes three grandchildren of Mabel Clark.
The current Board of Trustees for the Ross and Ruth Downing Family Foundation includes three grandchildren of Mabel Clark. The oldest grandchild, Nicole manages communication for one of the USA Olympic teams. Her sister, Genevieve, works as an academic advisor, and her brother, Andrew, serves as a mortgage broker. The family is deeply committed to seeing positive change in programming–with a focus on ensuring tangible results for vulnerable individuals and communities.