Susan Marie Downey

Susan Marie Downey (née Gallagher) passed away peacefully at home on March 21, 2026. After 55 years of marriage to her husband Patrick, and a lifetime of caring deeply for those she loved, she has left the world quieter and a little less bright — though full of people who carry her with them.
She is survived by her devoted husband Pat; her three sons Dave (Ann), Jim (Katie), and Andrew (Kori); and nine grandchildren — Rose, Cecilia, Liam, Gavin, Danny, Owen, Scarlett, Molly and Miles — who had the extraordinary fortune of being loved by Sukie, as they all called her. Her vast family includes her siblings Liz, Lucyanne, and Tom; Pat's siblings Marnie (Bob), Jack (Marj), and Jane (Tom); and an entire constellation of nieces, nephews, and dear friends near and far, all of whom she remembered, checked on, and showed up for.

She was born on April 17, 1947, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the second child of Richard and Mary Gallagher. She moved frequently throughout her childhood and attended the University of Manitoba, where she was introduced to Pat by his sister, Marnie. After graduating with her Bachelor of Science degree in math in 1968, Sue worked at Air Canada as a computer programmer until her first baby was born in 1973. Following that, she devoted her time to her family, friends, and volunteering in the service of others.

Born Canadian and proud of it until the end, Sue moved to the United States with Pat and their boys in 1983 after their early years surrounded by family in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Edmonton. She promptly set about building their own family traditions — a project she approached with characteristic thoroughness and care. Christmas was her masterpiece: a celebration woven together with love, from-scratch cinnamon twists and shortbread, handmade stockings, pond hockey, and conveniently timed mass — all of it held together by Sue's belief that the holidays were worth doing right.

She loved all living creatures deeply and wholeheartedly. She talked to her plants and tended them with care. She was fiercely loyal, spirited, deeply principled, and constitutionally incapable of ignoring someone who needed help. She scrubbed bathtubs for new mothers. She showed up for middle-of-the-night feedings so exhausted parents could finally sleep. She sat with the sick when others found it too difficult. She helped in the moments when most people didn't know what to do — and Sue always knew just what to do.

Her final years at home were filled with the things she loved most: laughing and singing along with her longtime friends, including the "Cosmo Girls", celebrating every holiday and milestone with her family, and the familiar comfort of Anne Murray playing softly in the background.

The family extends its deepest gratitude to Sue's devoted caregivers, and especially to Alicia and Amity, and to Grace Hospice.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE
Saint Patrick's Catholic Church · Edina, MN
Friday, April 10th
Visitation at 10:00 am · Mass at 11:00 am
Reception to follow at Edina Country Club

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Sue's honor to the Jeremiah Program, 1510 Laurel Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55403, or Project for Pride in Living, 1035 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404.