Obituary for Jeannine Lois Downing (Hemphill)
Le Mars, Iowa - Jeannine L. Downing, 91, of Le Mars, Iowa passed away on Saturday, August 13, 2022, at the Good Samaritan Society in Le Mars. A Celebration of Life Service will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 20, 2022, at the Mauer – Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. Rev. Dr. Michel Okitakoyi Lundula will officiate. Private family burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Merrill, Iowa. The family will be present from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday to greet friends.
Jeannine Lois Downing was born in Le Mars, Iowa, on June 17, 1931, the daughter of Wallace and Eileen (Hauser) Hemphill. She was raised in Le Mars, attended Le Mars Community High School and graduated in 1949. She briefly attended Westmar College. In June of 1950, she was introduced to a veteran, Edward Downing, who also attended Westmar College on an athletic scholarship. One year later, the two were married and were together for 62 years until Ed’s death in 2013. They were blessed with three children, Steven, Dianne and Douglas.
Besides her family, one of the things she was most proud of was her 30 years as a preschool teacher at St. George’s Preschool where she touched the lives of many children.
Jeannine’s family would like to thank the staff at Park Place, Good Samaritan Society, Hospice of Siouxland and Floyd Valley Healthcare and it’s staff for the wonderful care they gave her.
She is survived by her children, Steven (Sandy Robbins) of Trabuco Canyon, CA, Dianne Vestal and her husband, David of Urbandale, IA and Douglas and his wife, Sandy of Le Mars, IA; grandsons, Ryan and his wife, Shayla and their children, Hunter, Connor and Brinley of Urbandale, IA, Michael and his wife, Alex, and their children, Leila, Charlotte, Juliet and Remi of Omaha, NE; a sister-in-law, Gail Hemphill of Tacoma, WA; several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Edward; a son-in-law, Tom Nelson; and a brother, Merlyn Hemphill.
Memorials may be directed to the Paralyzed Veterans of America, 801 Eighteenth Street NW
Washington, DC 20006-3517 or the Siouxland Humane Society, 1015 Tri View Ave, Sioux City, IA 51103
Jeannine Lois Downing was born in Le Mars, Iowa, on June 17, 1931, the daughter of Wallace and Eileen (Hauser) Hemphill. She was raised in Le Mars, attended Le Mars Community High School and graduated in 1949. She briefly attended Westmar College. In June of 1950, she was introduced to a veteran, Edward Downing, who also attended Westmar College on an athletic scholarship. One year later, the two were married and were together for 62 years until Ed’s death in 2013. They were blessed with three children, Steven, Dianne and Douglas.
Besides her family, one of the things she was most proud of was her 30 years as a preschool teacher at St. George’s Preschool where she touched the lives of many children.
Jeannine’s family would like to thank the staff at Park Place, Good Samaritan Society, Hospice of Siouxland and Floyd Valley Healthcare and it’s staff for the wonderful care they gave her.
She is survived by her children, Steven (Sandy Robbins) of Trabuco Canyon, CA, Dianne Vestal and her husband, David of Urbandale, IA and Douglas and his wife, Sandy of Le Mars, IA; grandsons, Ryan and his wife, Shayla and their children, Hunter, Connor and Brinley of Urbandale, IA, Michael and his wife, Alex, and their children, Leila, Charlotte, Juliet and Remi of Omaha, NE; a sister-in-law, Gail Hemphill of Tacoma, WA; several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Edward; a son-in-law, Tom Nelson; and a brother, Merlyn Hemphill.
Memorials may be directed to the Paralyzed Veterans of America, 801 Eighteenth Street NW
Washington, DC 20006-3517 or the Siouxland Humane Society, 1015 Tri View Ave, Sioux City, IA 51103