Toney L. Downing

Toney L. Downing, 89, of Mt. Pleasant passed away Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009 at Central Michigan Community Hospital. His funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home, 2300 S. Lincoln Rd., with Father Denis Heames officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. The family will receive friends two hours prior to the service. The family requests that donations be made to Commission On Aging, Cancer Society, or St. Henry Catholic Church. Envelopes are available at the funeral home. Toney was born Nov. 14, 1919, in Mt. Pleasant, the son of George and Edith (Merrill) Downing. He married Eva Lackie on Feb. 26, 1938, in Nepolion, Ohio. They were inseparable and he always worried about leaving her first. He was a farmer and had retired from Mt. Pleasant Public Schools as a Bus Supervisor after 16 years of service. He was a wonderful father and grandfather. He loved farming, tractors, traveling in his early retirement years, playing cards, and doing yard work. Toney is survived by his loving wife of nearly 71 years, Eva; two children, Robert (Sharon) Downing of St. Johns and Linda (Gary) Bower of Mt. Pleasant; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; sister, Arthel Stadfeld of Arizona. He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and Terry Tiedeman; and two brothers, Othel and Leslie Downing. Those who knew Toney will remember him as one of the kindest and nicest persons. He had a heart of gold with a wide circle of friends.