Eddie Downen

Eddie N. Downen, 86, of Scott City passed away Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Monticello House in Jackson.

He was born April 11, 1929, to Roy and Stella Fine Downen at West Plains, Missouri. He married Earlene Parker on Sept. 3, 1949. She passed away Dec. 6, 1977. He and Verna Long Hoffman were married Jan. 16, 1983.

After graduating from West Plains High School in 1945, Eddie went to Detroit for a short time. Upon returning to West Plains, he went to work at Interco/Florsheim Shoe, where he held various management positions and traveled to China, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, France and Taiwan. After retirement, he was an avid trout fisherman and enjoyed gardening and carpentry until his health began to fail.

Loving survivors include his wife, Verna, of Scott City; a daughter, Erma Leming of Warsaw, Missouri; two stepdaughters, Janet (Rick) Joiner of Malden, Missouri and LeeAnne Ward of Scott City; four granddaughters, Julie Ambrose of Shelbyville, Illinois, Kendra (Dustin) Gross of Cape Girardeau, Julie Culler of Malden and Lacie Ward of Scott City; a grandson, Austin Worthy of Farmington, Missouri; four great-granddaughters, Baily and Ryann Ambrose of Shelbyville and Ashlynne and Elizabeth Culler of Malden; a brother, Skip (Ina) Downen; two sisters, Barbara Painter and Christine (David) Brewer of West Plains; many nieces and nephews; and his little white dog, Walker.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to service time Wednesday, March 2, 2016, at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Terry McKee officiating. A memorial service will be held April 9, 2016, in West Plains with the time and location to be determined.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Southeast Hospice, 10 Doctors Park, Cape Girardeau, MO 63703; FISH, 106 South Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, MO 63701; or St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting mccombsfuneralhome.com