Obituary of Dr. David R. Downs
Dr. David R. Downs ’54, MD’57, age 91, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 21, at his home in Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge, Madison, Wisconsin.
Dave was born on February 1st, 1933, in Madison to Leslie and Lois (Ross) Downs. After graduating from Madison West High School he studied medicine at UW-Madison. In 1955, Dave married the love of his life, Bonnie Jean Tuttle, in Madison.
After a stint in the Navy at Camp Pendleton, Dave returned to Wisconsin and took up family practice in Dodgeville. Dave was active with the Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association, the Iowa County Scenic Sounds Barbershop Chorus, and Kiwanis Club.
Dave & Bonnie’s great joys included tree farming and travel. A former dairy farm in Clyde, the rechristened “Bonnie In Clyde” was converted into timber, with Dave, family, and friends eventually planting ~ 330,000 trees. They traveled extensively, enjoying ElderHostels, cruises, and visiting snowbird friends.
Dave & Bonnie moved to Oakwood Village East in 2015 and dove into community life. Dave educated and entertained many with his contributions to the community newsletter. He was often known to ride up to his neighbors, deliver a pun, limerick, or joke with a deadpan face, and zoom away, leaving them rolling with laughter.
An avid reader, Dave always seemed to have a book in his hand; his hobbies included poetry, crosswords, interesting signs and license plates, limericks, jokes, and genealogy, and he was practically unbeatable in any word or logic game.
Dave provided his family with the following, “I enjoyed school and learning medicine, literature, family, friends, and was very involved in tree farming. I was deeply grateful for the opportunity to enjoy the end years of life at Oakwood Village, with neighbors and friends there, and with the feelings of security and fellowship available there. I enjoyed entertaining Oakwood neighbors with stories (mostly true), and poetry (all unique).”
He is survived by Bonnie (Tuttle) Downs, wife of 69 years, their 4 children: Steve (Bonnie) Downs of Richland Center, WI, Lynn (Tom) Ihlenfeldt of St. Paul, MN, Peter (Kathy) Downs of Friendship, WI, Alan (Cindy) Downs of Dodgeville, WI, 7 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Dave was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Marilyn Downs.
Dave’s celebration of life was held on September 21 at Oakwood Prairie Ridge chapel. Memorial contributions may be made by check payable to the Oakwood Foundation, 6209 Mineral Point Rd, Suite 200, Madison, WI, 53705, or at OakwoodFoundationInc.org
As always, Dave gets the last word:
The lessons in life that I’ve learned
Are not just some things to be spurned.
At life’s cessation
I choose cremation
It’ll be the last thing that I’ve Urned.
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