Pearl Harbor survivor, ministry leader dies

Jim Downing, a founding member of The Navigators ministry and one of the oldest survivors of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died on Tuesday. He was 104. Born in 1913 in Oak Grove, Mo., Downing joined the Navy at age 19, a decision he likened to Jonah: “I felt that by going to sea I would get away from [God] for another four years.” But like in the life of Jonah, God persisted. Shortly after his first assignment to the USS West Virginia, Downing met Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, and became a Christian. Downing was called “Navigator #6,” the sixth serviceman Trotman discipled in the early years of the ministry that now has a presence in more than 100 countries. After a 24-year career in the Navy, Downing joined The Navigators full time, serving as its financial vice president and military ministry director, among other responsibilities. He retired in 1983 but continued writing and speaking until his death. Downing’s wife of 68 years, Morena, died in 2010. Six children, nine grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren survive him.