Edward Downes after his health declined following a hip replacement. Lady Downes was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer that metastasised to her liver, and given only weeks to live. Lady Downes wrote a letter to family explaining that she had decided against treatment and that: Sir Edward, aged 85, and Lady Downes, aged 74, ended their lives by assisted suicide at the Dignitas clinic in Zürich, Switzerland, on 10 July 2009. Although Joan did not want the children present, Dignitas encouraged it and "Ted and Joanie" were reported to be pleased when the time came. Their children issued a statement speaking of
Joan Stafford-King-Harman whom she married in 1997, was the judge Sir Robin Dunn, whom she had known since childhood; he had three children from his first marriage. Sir Robin died in 2014. Lady Dunn spent her last years as a resident at Maesbrook care home, Meole Brace, Shrewsbury. Joan Stafford-King-Harman (Cecily) Joan Stafford-King-Harman (7 March 1918 – 12 July 2018), also Mrs Dennehy, later Lady Dunn, was an English socialite and one of the first women to work for MI6. The daughter of Sir Cecil Stafford-King-Harman, 2nd Baronet, of Rockingham in County Roscommon, Ireland, and his wife, the former Sarah Beatrice Acland,