Downey, Donald Harley 1897 - 1950

DOWNEY, SCHNACK, GAEGHAN, DITTMER, DUNN, KLEMME, JOHNSON, HARTER, KRACKE, GRIMMES, LOONEY

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 4/23/2024 at 10:18:24

Clayton County Register, 20 Apr. 1950.

Funeral services for Donald Harley Downey, 52, were held from the Witt funeral chapel at 9:30 o'clock Tuesday morning to St. Joseph's church, Elkader, at 10 o'clock. The Rev. Father B. H. Skahill officiated at the solemn requiem high mass, assisted by the Rev. Father Francis Phelan, McGregor, the Rev. Father L. Holmberg, Garber, the Rev. Father W. B. Kress, Strawberry Point. Jimmy Dougherty, Jim Danaher and Joe Robinson served as alter boys. Burial was in St. Joseph's cemetery.

Mr. Downey died at his home Saturday, April 15, as the result of a stroke he suffered a week previously.

Donald Harley Downey, the son of William A and Johanna Gaeghan Downey, was born on a farm in Volga township near Elkport on July 08, 1897. He received his education in the schools near his home.

On May 29, 1923, at Elkader, he was married to Elsa Schnack. The young couple began housekeeping in Elkader, which has been their home, and where Mr. Downey operated a blacksmith shop for the past 27 years.

Mr. Downey was elected mayor of Elkader March 27, 1950, and took over the duties of that office Monday, April 03. He had served on the town council for four years before.

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and was a trustee of that organization. A member of the Modern Woodmen of America, he had served that organization as secretary for the past 20 years. He was also a member of St. Joseph's church, Elkader.

He is survived by his widow and one son, Francis Edward of Albuquerque, New Mexico; five brothers and two sisters, Joseph Downey, Elgin, George Downey and Mrs. Floyd Dittmer, both of Strawberry Point, James Downey, Buckeye, Ariz., John E. Downey, Edgewood, Walter Downey, Waterloo, Mrs. Carroll Dunn, Colorado Springs, Colo., Mrs. Hoyt Klemme, Osceola; also two grandchildren, Donald and Margaret Ann Downey of Albuquerque, N.M.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a son Donald, who died on Iwo Jima Feb. 19, 1945, and a brother Mike, who died in 1942.

Pallbearers were Fred Johns, Leo Schulte, A. A. Shultz, L. D. Dittmer, A. J. Johnson, and John Garaghty. Honorary pallbearers were I. A. Fehlhafer, H. H. Hall, Martin Penneton, N. H. Niemeyer, W. B. Fassbinder, E. F. Seifert, W. W. Davidson, and A. L. Oleson.

Relatives from a distance who attended the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Francis Downey and family, Albuquerque, N.M.; Joseph Downey, Elgin; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Downey and Gregory, and Mr. and Mrs. Flod Dittmer, Strawberry Point; Mr. and Mrs. John E. Downey and Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Downey, Edgewood; Walter Downey, Waterloo; Mrs. Carroll Dunn and son John, Colorado Springs, Colo; Mr. and Mrs. Hoyt Klemme, Osceola; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Johnson and Paula, Mrs. Marvel Harter, Mrs. Marjorie Schnack, and Mrs. Roy Kracke, East Moline, Ill., Mr. and Mrs. Harold Grimmes, Minneapolis, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Ray Looney, Postville.