EMILY CATHERINE STUART DOWNS

Emily was born on Flag Day 1980 just in time to be the first Father's Day gift her father, Randy, ever received.  Randy and Gerianne Stuart became proud parents of this baby, their first-born child.

Emily was raised in Fresno, attending various elementary schools, Computech Middle School and Fresno High School from where she graduated in 1998.  All through school she was active in sports and music and in leadership at Fresno High.

During her early years she discovered her voice.  She sang with her mom, remembering ALL the lyrics to ALL the songs she was exposed to. She would sing all the time and learned to play the flute starting in 4th grade, but it was her singing that would take her to Europe at age 14, singing and playing her flute with the California Girls' Choir in 7 different countries.  As well, at Fresno High she played in the marching band and went on to sing her way into becoming the female vocalist for the Fresno High Raisin Babies Jazz Band. The band played many events and festivals and made a number of recordings. Emily recorded her own CD at age 19, backed by band members, former teachers and other local musicians.

Emily studied at Cuesta College for a year, but Fresno called her back to family and friends. From a young age, Emily loved people and remembered everything about them. This attribute made her a natural in the service industry. Starting in her early 20s, she hosted, served, bartended and even ventured into café ownership in Santa Barbara where she lived for about 10 years.  She became a real "foodie", loving the smells and tastes of it all.

She came back to Fresno again in 2011 where she returned to restaurant work and went on to meet the love of her life, Tanner Downs. They shared many friends and the love of food and dogs and were married in September 2016. Emily continued her work in various Fresno restaurants until late 2024 when she became ill and left work. That illness ultimately but suddenly took her life on July 23, 2025.

Emily is survived by Tanner and his family—his loving parents, Chuck and Peggy Downs, Grandma Judy Jacobs, his sister Lauren Downs and her daughter, Addy and other extended family. Also surviving are all of Emily's loving family--parents Randy and Gerianne Stuart, sister Eleanor and brother Trevor along with his children Payton and Decker Stuart; Aunt Diane & Uncle Irv Tiessen, Aunts Anna Sheesley and Melody Nygren and Uncle Rory Stuart in addition to a number of cousins. She is also survived by her godparents, Mary Christensen and Brian Sheesley both of whom encouraged her and fostered her growth in adulthood.

A Celebration of Emily's life will be held on Saturday, September 27, at 11am, at Legacy Christian Church, 2171 Villa Avenue just south of Shaw, Clovis, CA.

Remembrances may be sent to organizations near to Emily's heart: Fresno Bully Rescue or the Heart of the Horse Therapy Ranch.