downs was an avid reader with a huge private library including works in spanish, french, german and russian. he had a large collection of tropical orchids and performed a number of hybridization experiments. a hybrid genus of orchids, "downsara", was named after him. he was a keen fisherman and expert marksman (once a member of the national rifle team of trinidad & tobago), an accomplished photographer, stamp collector, guitarist and bookbinder. downs was preceded in death by his first wife helen hartley geer downs, called "babbie" by her friends, and by their youngest daughter martha. he was survived by his second wife dorothy gardner downs downs and their two sons and four daughters. downs' grandson greg downs is an author and historian.