Born in Pennsylvania on September 8, 1917, Gertrude Marie Kushner was the daughter of John J. and Mary E. Kushner. Some records indicate the mother's maiden name was Gresko.

John Kushner and his wife had one child, Mildred, at the time of the 1910 Federal Census of Munhall, Allegheny County. He was employed at the Steel Works.

John J. Kushner, working as a Bank Teller in 1918, died of Influenza on November 1, 1918. His widow, a resident of 1034 Ravine Street, gave the information for the death record.

The family is found at 1034 Ravine Street, Munhall, in the 1920 census. The widowed mother, Mary E. Kushner, had the following children: Mildred, 10, John, 8, Bernard, 6, Leonard, 4, and Gertrude, 2.

By the time of the 1930 census, the mother, 37, had married Michael Yarina, 31, and had two more children, Michael and Eugene Yarina.

The 1940 census record mistakenly names Gertrude as Gertrude Yarina, but she was 22 and a Registered Nurse.

She married Lewis Benjamin Downs.

Her death occurred on January 6, 1980; last residence, San Leandro, Alameda County, California. She is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, California. Her husband died in 1963, and her mother in 1990. A son, Leonard A. died in 1952 at age 4.

OBITUARY: Pittsburgh Press, Jan. 8, 1980 - DOWNS - Gertrude Kushner Downs on Jan. 6, 1980; wife of the late Louis Downs; mother of Benjamin and Dr. Larry; daughter of Mary Yarina of Fla.; sister of John Kushner, Zelienople, Bernard of Munhall, Leonard of Jefferson Boro, Gene Yarina of S. Park and Michael Yarina of S. Oak. Burial will be in Castro Valley, Calif. Wed. Jan. 9.