Evanston Obituary: Anne Cunningham Downey McClure, 92

The following obituary is courtesy of Donnellan Family Funeral Services.

Anne Cunningham Downey McClure, age 92, passed peacefully in her sleep at home in Evanston, Illinois on May 23, 2015. She was the daughter of Charles Frederick and Anna Gertrude Oliver Cunningham of South Bend, Indiana and the great-granddaughter of James Oliver, inventor of the Oliver Chilled Plow.

Anne grew up in South Bend. After The James Madison School, she went on to graduate from the Ethel Walker School in CT and from Smith College in MA. In 1946, she married Russel Hugh Downey, Jr., also of South Bend. After a few years in South Bend, they moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where they raised their five daughters. Later on, they divided their year between San Francisco, CA, Vero Beach, FL, and Harbor Springs, MI. They enjoyed many trips abroad together. After almost 40 happy years, Russ passed away.

In 1987, Anne married the second love of her life, Archibald McClure, a dear friend since childhood. Arch and Russ had been roommates at Yale. As she had been with Russ, Anne and Arch were quite a team on the tennis court, golf course and dance floor! Later on, they added Evanston to their list of residences. Anne and Arch enjoyed almost 30 very happy years together.

Anne devoted her life to her family, her friends and her community. During WWII, she worked for the Red Cross and over the years, she volunteered for various organizations: The Junior League, her children’s schools and served as docent for the de Young Museum in San Francisco, to name a few, all benefitted from her dedication. She loved the symphony and was a life-long devotee of her churches.

Beautiful inside and out, Anne was a truly lovely lady. As her sister says, “She had an innate ability to make you feel you were the most special person in the room.” Gracious, warm, compassionate and a good listener, she was deeply loved by all, most especially by her husband, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Anne is predeceased by her parents and her brother, Joseph Oliver (Millie) Cunningham of Phoenix, AZ. She is survived by her husband, Arch McClure of Evanston, IL, her sister, Jane Cunningham Warriner of Watsonville, CA, her five daughters: Wells D. (Dr. Henry) Hamilton of Hillsborough, CA, Place D. Tegland of La Jolla, CA, Susan D. McClean of San Francisco, CA, Brooks D. (Dr. Rod) Newton, of Ashland, OR, and Anne D. Wallace, of Vero Beach, FL, as well as 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of her Life will be held in Harbor Springs, MI in July.

In lieu of flowers, Memorial may be made to:

Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter, 2050 Claire Court, Glenview, IL 60025

Indian River Hospital Foundation, 1000 36th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960

The VNA & Hospice Foundation, Inc., 1110 35th Lane, Vero Beach, FL 32960

St. John’s Episcopal Church, 278 W. Third Street, Harbor Springs, MI 49740

Little Traverse Conservancy, 3264 Powell Road, Harbor Springs, MI 49740

McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital Foundation, 360 Connable Avenue, Petosky, MI 49770

Edgewood Center for Children & Families, 1801 Vicente Street, San Francisco, CA 94116

MedLend, 1820 Ogden Drive, 2nd Floor, Burlingame, CA 94010

Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94108

The History Museum, 808 W. Washington Street, South Bend, IN 46601

Or your charity of choice