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David Dwight Downing

July 21, 1942 — July 26, 2025

Foley, Alabama

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David Dwight Downing

Dave, age 83, of Foley, Alabama, passed away peacefully from a sudden, short illness on July 27, 2025, surrounded by his loved ones. Born on July 21, 1942, in Kirksville, Missouri to Melvin and Evelyn Treuthart Downing, Dave was the beloved husband of Tricia and father to Kim and Kris.

Early Life
Dave spent his formative years in Kansas City, Missouri, where he developed a passion for everything cars and drag racing with his dad. He graduated from North Kansas City High School, then attended the University of Kansas before enlisting in the Air Force for 4 years. He spent three of those years at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and loved to share stories about his years of service.

Career and Accomplishments
Throughout his career, Dave was known for his leadership, listening and teaching skills. From the Air Force he went to work for Vendo, developing business and sales knowledge bases that carried him through the rest of his life. Honing, building, and sharing those skills he worked for Genuine Auto Parts (NAPA), two engine remanufacturing businesses and Chief Automotive in sales and management positions. His colleagues admired and respected him for his dedication, success, and willingness to help others. After retiring, boredom set in, and Dave offered to help Marty and Kim at their funeral homes as needed. That became full-time and led to what he considered the most rewarding work of his life...helping people in the most trying time of their lives. If he could make a grieving person smile or laugh, he felt he had done what God meant for him to do. He often said if he had known how rewarding working in the funeral home could be he would have made it his life’s career.

Personal Life
Dave lived and worked from coast to coast and Canadian border to the Gulf, making lifelong friends everywhere he went. In addition to his professional life, Dave liked giving back. While the girls were young, he umpired the kid’s baseball games. As the girls grew up, their friends, especially the boys, gravitated to the Downing home because it was fun talking to and working on cars with Dave. He loved knowing where the girls were and who their friends were. In Gladstone, MO he served as a Planning Commissioner, helping to shape a growing community into a thriving one. He showed the girls how to get involved by having them help him campaign. More stories! In Moreno Valley, CA he served as a lay minister and elder at our church, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran. He was an avid car enthusiast by the time he was 3 years old and that love stayed with him through his final days. Always a Chevrolet fan, he became a Corvette enthusiast in 2004, becoming active in the Kansas City Corvette Association after relocating there and purchasing his 4th Vette (of six total). He loved driving (and racing) the cars, sprucing them up for car shows, and participating in Corvette shows. In his quiet times he built and collected model cars. Playing the saxophone and piano also brought him immense joy. He really livened up a gathering when he sat down and played “Great Balls of Fire” like Jerry Lee Lewis, encouraging everyone to sing along. That was the highlight of many family get-togethers. In quiet times he often played “Clair de Lune” and favorite hymns. His family and friends remember him as loving, wise, caring, funny, full of energy and enthusiasm and an avid supporter of his girls and grandchildren. The family were the shining stars of his life.

Family
Dave is survived by his loving wife, Tricia, and children, Kim (Marty) Meyers and Kristen Reed. He also leaves behind 5 grandchildren, Kourtney, Chadwick (Brooke), CJ (Nicole), Stephen (Carissa) & Addison (Erin); and 5 great grandchildren, Conrad, Theodore, Vander, Peirson & Persephone. He was preceded in death by his parents and son-in-law, Chap Reed. Dave was a cherished friend to many and will be remembered for his engaging smile that so many noticed, his beautiful silver hair, his wonderful sense of humor as well as his gentle, caring, kind and loving spirit that reflected his love for God to those around him.

Services
A Memorial Service will be held on August 15th at 10:30 AM at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Elberta, AL followed by a committal service with Air Force military honors at the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spanish Fort, AL at 2 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials in his name to one of the following:

The Alzheimer’s Assn (honoring his parents)
or our church, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Elberta, AL.

Dave leaves behind a legacy of love for and loyalty to God, family and friends and country. His memory will continue to inspire all who knew him. Rather than being sad we have lost him he would want us to celebrate that we had him in our lives.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of David Dwight Downing, please visit our flower store.

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Service Schedule

Upcoming Services

Memorial Service

Friday, August 15, 2025

10:30 - 11:30 am (Central time)

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St. Mark's Lutheran Church

13220 Main Street
Elberta, AL 36530

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Interment

Friday, August 15, 2025

2:00 - 3:00 pm (Central time)

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Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort

34904 AL-225
Spanish Fort, AL 36577

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