Obituary for Margaret Rilla Downing

Margaret (Billie) Rilla Menefee Downing, 84, of Decorah, IA, died at home October 27, 2008. There will be no services, but there will be visitation at her home October 29, 2008 from 3-8 p.m. for Decorah and surrounding area friends and family. There will also be a visitation on October 31, 2008 in Adair, IA at the First Presbyterian Church for family and friends out of the Decorah area. Her body was cremated and her ashes will be buried at the Adair Cemetery, Adair, Ia. Billie was born November 7th, 1923, in Adair, Iowa, the daughter of Avery and Myrtle (Turner) Menefee. She graduated from Guthrie Center High School in 1941 and went to AIB School in Des Moines, Iowa. She married Berl (Bill) Downing, Jr. on March 18, 1944, in Guthrie Center at the Methodist Parsonage. Billie followed Berl to Seattle during World War II and they moved back to Iowa in 1948. They lived around and in Guthrie Center until Berl got employment as a Conservation Officer for the state of Iowa, at which time they relocated to Fairfield, Iowa, and later to Decorah. Billie worked as a bookkeeper for a variety of different businesses during her career and enjoyed working outside the home and supporting Berl as a "game warden''s wife". Billie was a member of BPW organization and volunteered at the Decorah Public Library. Her hobbies included spending time outdoors with her family, embroidery, quilting and those "oh so delicious" desserts, candies, and cookies she always made for family and friends. She is survived by three sons: Douglas (JoAnn) Downing, Mascoutah, IL, Craig Downing, San Francisco, CA, and Mark Downing (Steve Schmidt), Cedar Rapids, IA; three grandchildren: Joshua Downing, San Diego, CA, Nikkole Smart, Reedsville, PA, and Elizabeth Downing, New York, NY; four great-grandchildren, Tristan MacMurray, and Logan, Bladen, and Jackson "Berl" Smart. She also is survived by a brother, John (Ella) Menefee of Panora, IA, and a sister, Marian McKnight of Aurora, CO. She was preceded in death by Berl, her Mother and Father, and sisters Glenora Carney, Alice Franzone and brothers Maynard and Robert Menefee. A memorial fund will be established at the Decorah Public Library or donations may be made to the American Cancer Society where she volunteered for fund raising over the years.