The end of a school year means many things - awards ceremonies, annual reports, field days, exams, teacher gifts, and graduations. All of these bring about a feeling of completion and closure. But for one of our diocesan teachers, Miss Margie Downer, June 9 marked the close of a major chapter of her life.
For 40 years, Margie has taught at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School. She was hired out of college (Aquinas, ’83) and assigned to the first-grade class. She loved it! Margie said she instantly felt like a mom to the 30 smiling faces looking up to her. Teaching them basic skills, pulling out books to read and paper to write on, she thought, “This is where I belong.” It was no surprise to her - she knew what her vocation would be since she was in second grade.
Margie attended the former St. Adalbert Catholic School (alongside classmate and soon-to-be St. Anthony retiree, Father Mark Przybysz) and was inspired by their teacher, Sister Marie Josephia, S.S.N.D. “She was just so kind and nurturing and loving, and I thought, ‘I want to be like her.’” From then on, Margie practiced her skills at home, sneaking away from her nine older siblings and “holding class” for imaginary students.
She taught nine years in the first grade classroom. The Catholic community of St. Anthony looked a bit different back then. It had eight classrooms and no church. Masses were held in what is the gym today. Margie moved up to teach the fourth grade when there was a vacancy and she loved the independence, yet same innocence, of her students. For the next 31 years, Margie stayed in love and hoped to never be recruited away from St. Anthony.
In her tenure, Margie experienced three popes, five bishops, 10 principals, and a multitude of Conventual Franciscan friars and brothers until Father Mark became pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Community in 2003. “More than half my life I’ve been here. To this day, I wake up and I want to come to school. I look back at 40 years and I wouldn’t do anything differently. This is what God wanted me to do and I’m very confident in that. I did what I was called to do and I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat,” says Margie.
She spent second semester trying not to think of the “last times.” Margie wanted to remember every moment of Songfest and not focus on “my last Songfest.” She wanted to walk into St. Anthony, smell the familiar smell of books and crayons, and not dwell on “my last week of school.” To her surprise, in that last week, she was greeted with a special celebration, photos of her classes throughout the years, a Michigan State University basketball autographed with a special note from Tom Izzo (if you know her, you know), and wrapped up in hugs - love that will accompany her as she experiences many beautiful “firsts” in retirement.
Margie, good and faithful servant, thank you for your dedication to Catholic education and sharing your talents with us. God bless you!
To see more photos of Margie at St. Anthony's end-of-year celebration, click here.