Deidre Downs

From Bhamwiki
(Redirected from Dierdre Downs)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Deidre Downs

Deidre Downs Gunn (born July 7, 1980), is an obstetrician/gynecologist specializing in reproductive endocrinology. She was crowned "Miss Alabama" for 2004 and "Miss America" for 2005.

Downs grew up in Pelham and graduated from Pelham High School. During high school she volunteered at Camp Smile-A-Mile and Children's Hospital. She earned a volleyball scholarship to the University of Virginia and was a member of the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society. She transferred to Samford University and was a finalist for a Rhodes scholarship. graduated magna cum laude with a degree in history.

As a pageant contestant, Downs sang a rendition of the ballad "I'm Afraid This Must Be Love". She was crowned "Miss America" by her predecessor Ericka Dunlap. As part of her year of service as Miss America, she campaigned for childhood cancer research, founding a high school volunteer program and lobbying to create Alabama's "Curing Childhood Cancer" specialty license plate. She served as an official spokesperson for the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation.

After her year as Miss America, Downs returned to Birmingham and attended the UAB School of Medicine. In March 2008, Downs married Andrew Gunn, a high school teacher and fellow Samford alumnus. They had one son together. The couple later divorced, and in April 2018 she married attorney Abbott Jones in a ceremony at the Birmingham Museum of Art.

In late 2020 Deidre and Abbott Downs each contributed eggs to be inseminated by an anonymous sperm donor. Abbott carried the child which is due in September.

Preceded by:
Catherine Crosby 		Miss Alabama
2004 		Succeeded by:
Shannon Camper (interim)
Preceded by:
Ericka Dunlap 		Miss America
2005 		Succeeded by:
Jennifer Berry


External links

References

Retrieved from "http://bhamwiki.com/w/index.php?title=Deidre_Downs&oldid=181231"