Downard, Verne 1918-2005

DOWNARD, BOHUN, ATKINS, CARNEY, STORER, ARCHIBALD, CARTER, VICKERMAN, DANNEIL, LERCHE

Posted By: Debbie Nash - Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/16/2005 at 17:24:10

Verne Downward
May 10, 2005

Verne Downard, 86, of Keosauqua, died at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, May 8, 2005, at Van Buren Good Samaritan Center in Keosauqua where he had been a resident since 2001.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Keosauqua United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Bryon Wixom officiating. Burial, with military honors by Beer-Barker American Legion Post No. 113, will be in Fellows Cemetery.

Open visitation will begin at 3 p.m. Thursday, with the family present from 6:30-8 p.m. at Pedrick Funeral Home in Keosauqua.

Memorials to the Southern Prairie Chapter of American Red Cross may be left at the funeral home, the church or mailed to the family at 712 Oak Park, Des Moines 50313.

Mr. Downard was born Dec. 31, 1918, in Pierceville to John and Justina Bohun Downard. He married Shirley Ann Atkins May 25, 1947, in Milton. She died Aug. 15, 1993.

He grew up south of Stockport and attended Utica elementary school, Stockport High School and graduated from Keosauqua High School in 1935.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the South Pacific Theater during World War II. He returned to Keosauqua and worked for 32 years as a rural mail carrier and retired in 1980.

He was an active volunteer in the community, serving as a Boy Scout leader where he received the Silver Beaver Award. He also was a member of Keosauqua Methodist Church, Red Cross, Lions Club, Keosauqua Fire Department and Beer-Barker American Legion.

Survivors include two daughters, Judy Carney and her husband John, and Penny Storer and her husband Joel, all of Des Moines; two sons, Terry Downard and his wife Nancy of Clearlake, Calif., and John Downard and his wife Pat of Davenport; two brothers, Kenny Downard of Keosauqua and Bob Downard of Ankeny; one sister Marguerite Archibald of Keosauqua; and friend Martha Carter; seven grandchildren; and four great grandchildren.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Shirley; three sisters Ruth Vickerman, Frances Danneil and Roberta Lerche; and four brothers: Orlen, Roy, John and Dale.

Courtesy of the Fairfield Daily Ledger Inc. 2005