Myrna M. Downing

Myrna M. Downing, age 87, of Tecumseh, died Friday, Feb. 1, 2019 at The Fieldstone at Tecumseh Place. She was born March 3, 1931, in Tecumseh, to Guy and Freida (Schmidt) Beevers.  On August 11, 1950, she married Merlyn Downing in Tecumseh.

Myrna had been employed by Cal’s Tog Shop and the Tecumseh Country Club, as a bookkeeper. She was a member of the Tecumseh United Methodist Church where she had served for five years as a youth counselor, financial secretary of the church, and worked on the Appalachian Service Project. She and Merlyn took in and cared for six teenage foster children.

Myrna was a member of the Herrick Medical Center Auxiliary and the Tecumseh Service Club. She was involved in fundraising for Hospice of Lenawee and worked on the American Cancer Society Golf Benefit. Some of Myrna’s hobbies were golfing, playing cards, doing embroidering and quilting. She and her husband, Merlyn received the Musgrove Evans Award in 1991, in honor of their outstanding service to the City of Tecumseh.

Myrna is survived by two sons, Kent (Regina) Downing of Perrysburg, Ohio and Jeffrey Downing of Tecumseh; a daughter, Tammy (Barry) Dana-Bashian of Rowlett, Texas; five grandchildren, Kellie (Joe) McInchak, Abbey (Alyssa) Downing, Whitney (Tyler) Serafini, Mitchell (Lindsay) Dana-Bashian and Clayton Dana-Bashian; four great-grandsons, Andrew and Leo McInchak, Cassius Lewis, and Reid Smith; four great-granddaughters, Claire McInchak, Sage and June Serafini, and Emma Dana-Bashian; and a sister, Kathy (Carl) Rothfuss of Ann Arbor.  She was preceded in death by her husband Merlyn; her parents; two brothers, Guy Beevers during WWII and Robert Beevers; and three sisters, Laura Jean Beevers in childhood, Florence Oman, and Anne Elliott.

Funeral services for Myrna will be held Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019 at 11 a.m. at the Tecumseh United Methodist Church with Rev. Mark Miller officiating. Burial will be Thursday at 2 p.m. in Brookside Cemetery.

Visitation will be held one hour before the service at the Tecumseh United Methodist Church.

Condolences may be sent to the family at andersonfuneralservices.com.  Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Lenawee.  Envelopes will be available at the Tecumseh United Methodist Church.