Maxine Downing, 86, of Chetopa, died at 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at Freeman East Hospital in Joplin.
She was born February 1, 1925, in rural Chetopa, Kansas, to Elmer Joseph and Birdie Ethel (Moore) Blundell. Following graduation from Chetopa High School in 1942, she attended Coffeyville Teachers College.
For a number of years, she taught in rural one-room schoolhouses, including Piety Hill School. She then worked at the Kansas Ordnance Plant in Parsons in the 1940's and owned and operated a grocery store in Commerce, Oklahoma with her husband in the late 1940's. She also worked as a waitress in local restaurants in Chetopa in earlier years.
She and James Otho Downing were married June 9, 1946 at the Assembly of God Church in Chetopa. The couple moved to Wichita in the late 1940's and lived in California for a period of time before returning to Wichita. While living in Wichita, she worked as a data processor at Boeing Aircraft. In 1986, they moved to Chetopa where they have lived since. Upon their return to Chetopa, she owned and operated The Lost Sheep arts and crafts store.
She was a member of the Community Bible Church in Chetopa and the Red Hat Flashes. She enjoyed arts and crafts, quilting, stained glass and doll making.
Survivors include:
Husband – J.O. Downing of the home
One Son – Ron Downing rural Miami, OK
One Daughter – Debbie VonFeldt and husband, Dwight Oklahoma City, OK
Six Grandchildren – Mike VonFeldt
Mark VonFeldt and wife, Kristin
Joseph VonFeldt
Christopher Downing
Jon Downing
Melissa Downing
Two Great-Grandchildren – Georgia Grace VonFeldt
Walker Isaiah VonFeldt
She was preceded in death by two brothers, George and Willard Blundell; and one sister, Evelyn Goodwin.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 5, 2011, at the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until service time on Tuesday at the funeral home. The casket will remain closed.
Memorials are suggested to the Community Bible Church Women's Ministries. These may be left at or mailed to Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 346, Chetopa, KS 67336.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Maxine Downing, please visit our flower store.
She was born February 1, 1925, in rural Chetopa, Kansas, to Elmer Joseph and Birdie Ethel (Moore) Blundell. Following graduation from Chetopa High School in 1942, she attended Coffeyville Teachers College.
For a number of years, she taught in rural one-room schoolhouses, including Piety Hill School. She then worked at the Kansas Ordnance Plant in Parsons in the 1940's and owned and operated a grocery store in Commerce, Oklahoma with her husband in the late 1940's. She also worked as a waitress in local restaurants in Chetopa in earlier years.
She and James Otho Downing were married June 9, 1946 at the Assembly of God Church in Chetopa. The couple moved to Wichita in the late 1940's and lived in California for a period of time before returning to Wichita. While living in Wichita, she worked as a data processor at Boeing Aircraft. In 1986, they moved to Chetopa where they have lived since. Upon their return to Chetopa, she owned and operated The Lost Sheep arts and crafts store.
She was a member of the Community Bible Church in Chetopa and the Red Hat Flashes. She enjoyed arts and crafts, quilting, stained glass and doll making.
Survivors include:
Husband – J.O. Downing of the home
One Son – Ron Downing rural Miami, OK
One Daughter – Debbie VonFeldt and husband, Dwight Oklahoma City, OK
Six Grandchildren – Mike VonFeldt
Mark VonFeldt and wife, Kristin
Joseph VonFeldt
Christopher Downing
Jon Downing
Melissa Downing
Two Great-Grandchildren – Georgia Grace VonFeldt
Walker Isaiah VonFeldt
She was preceded in death by two brothers, George and Willard Blundell; and one sister, Evelyn Goodwin.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 5, 2011, at the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until service time on Tuesday at the funeral home. The casket will remain closed.
Memorials are suggested to the Community Bible Church Women's Ministries. These may be left at or mailed to Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 346, Chetopa, KS 67336.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Maxine Downing, please visit our flower store.
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