Josh Downing

Joshua Robert Downing, 27, of Cape Girardeau passed away Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

Josh was born Nov. 13, 1986, in Oxford, Ohio, to Nathan Downing and Stephanie Downing.

Josh graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School in 2005 and received a bachelor's degree in hospitality management from Southeast Missouri State University in 2009. After he graduated from Southeast, Josh worked as a chef for the Ruby Tuesday restaurant in Cape Girardeau.

Josh was diagnosed with leukemia as a senior in high school and survived two relapses, his last remission being from a stem-cell transplant in 2009 he received from an anonymous donor. He attended school throughout the entirety of his sickness and later battled graft-versus-host disease while always working full-time.

Josh was the definition of strength and bravery. "If you're going through hell, keep going," by Winston Churchill, was his motto.

Josh was known for his contagious sense of humor, laughter and his smile. Throughout his care, Josh's nurses would fight for him to be on their service after pranks he pulled, including leaving neon-green Play-Doh poop on the hospital toilet seat. His passions included the St. Louis Blues, Avalanche hockey, gaming and all movie trivia.

He is so loved and will be so missed by every life he touched.

Josh is survived by his parents, Nathan and Mendy Downing and Stephanie Downing and Chris Taylor; grandparents, Harry and Sally Downing and Elaine Steh; three sisters, Amity (Nick) Shedd, Brynna Downing and Katlynn Dodd; several sets of aunts and uncles, including Morgan and Dave Rosenthal, Tracee and Chuck Bleyer, Tom and Janada Schaubert, John and Margaret Heath, Arlene Thurman and Robert Thurman; cousins Ella, Samuel, Maggee, Anthony, Keith, Derek and Makayla; and many other extended family members and friends, including his Ruby family.

He was preceded in death by grandparents Robert and Beverly Thurman and John Steh, and uncle Kevin Thurman.

Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Monday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel in Cape Girardeau.

A celebration of Josh's life will be at 7 p.m. Monday at the chapel, with the Rev. Rob Mehner officiating.

If anyone has photos and mementos of Josh's life they would want to display, they may be dropped off at the funeral home before the visitation.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Online condolences may be shared at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.