Donna D. Downard

Visitation was Thursday, December 14, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Kinsley Mortuary in Marysville.  The family received friends from 5-7 p.m.

A funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 15, at the Marysville Methodist Church.  Pastor Insung Kim officiated.  The musicians were Gail Gilkerson and Wayne Kruse.  Music included “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “How Great Thou Art.”

The pallbearers were Michael Downard, Gavin Downard, Domingo Lopez II, Alex Matson, Tim Downard and Brian Downard.

The honorary pallbearers were Carol Downard, Lori Watts, Sherilyn Pacha and Sandy Schmitz.

Burial followed in the Marysville City Cemetery.

Donna was born on April 14, 1943, to Deward and Marie (Knight) Cummings in Washington County, KS.  In 1961, she graduated from Marysville High School.  After high school, she began studying in a nursing school program at Baker University in Baldwin City, KS.

On May 6, 1962, she was united in marriage to Gordon “Pinky” L. Downard at Marysville.  They were blessed with two sons.  Together, they opened a small grocery store in downtown Marysville, called Downard’s HyKlass, until they moved down the street to a bigger location, Downard’s Food Mart.  They worked side by side, up until Pinky’s passing on October 20, 1989.  Donna continued to operate the grocery store until she sold it in 2002.

After her retirement, Donna enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren and attending their sporting events.  She would play the piano and sing, often at weddings and funerals.  Reading and quilting were also among some of the things she enjoyed.

She is preceded in death by her husband and parents.

Survivors include her sons, Larry (Michelle) Downard, Marysville, and Bradley Downard, Topeka, KS; grandchildren, Michael (Robin) Downard, Jessica Downard, Maddison (Domingo II) Lopez, Gavin (Parker Gigous) Downard, and Shelby (Alex) Matson; great-grandchildren, Hadley Downard, Kennedy Downard, and Domingo Lopez III; and her brother, Deward Cummings II, Lockhart, TX.

A memorial fund has been established to the Marysville Methodist Church.  Contributions may be sent in care of Kinsley Mortuary.