Eleanor Downing

Mrs. Eleanor Downing, age 79 of Coffeyville, Kansas passed away peacefully after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease on February 5, 2020 in Maple Crest Nursing Home in Omaha, Nebraska.

Eleanor was born in Coffeyville, Kansas to Charles French and Lilly Mae (Perry) French on January 10, 1941.  She went to school and graduated from Field Kindley Memorial High School in Coffeyville.  Eleanor married Clay Russell Downing on June 17, 1962 in Coffeyville at the First Church of God in Christ.

Elanor has always kept very busy.  While young, after school, she worked as a housekeeper cleaning homes and as an elevator operator.  As an adult, she has worked as a ward clerk for Coffeyville Memorial Hospital, as a bookkeeper and an intake clerk for SEK Women’s Shelter.  However, most of her time was spent as an accountant, bookkeeper, receptionist and shipment preparation worker for Downing’s Roots and Herbs, her husband’s home business.

She loved her family, her church and church family and has been active in Bible Band, Sunday School, Home and Foreign Missions and Hospitality Committee.

Eleanor is preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, husband, Clay, a daughter, Karon Fay Downing, a son, Randy Allen Downing, a son, John Russell Downing, a brother, James French, and sisters Ella Jean Hayes, Shirley Page and Charlsetta Wilson.Eleanor is survived by a daughter, Deborah Hardimon, a granddaughter, Pamela Hardimon Walden, a great-granddaughter, Maxine Walden all of Omaha, Nebraska, a grandson, Stephen Hardimon of Mission, Kansas, a daughter, Sharon Ugochukwu of Kansas City, Missouri, a grandson, Anthony Downing of Topeka, Kansas and many nieces and nephews, cousins and loving friends.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 pm on Thursday, February 13, 2020 at Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel, 2405 Woodland Ave., Coffeyville, Kansas.  Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 14, 2020 at Church of God in Christ, 2010 W. 1st St., in Coffeyville at 11 am; committal services will be held at the Fairview Veterans Memorial Patio prior to interment at Fairview Cemetery.  The family has requested memorial contributions be made payable to Church of God in Christ and may be left in care of the chapel.

The family of Eleanor Downing wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Maple Crest nursing staff, Hillcrest Hospice nursing staff and workers and to all of those who have offered help, thoughts and prayers.