Mildred Downs

Mildred Valoris Reiter Downs, 95, of Quincy, formerly of Meyer, died Wednesday (Nov. 26, 2014) in the Illinois Veterans Home, Quincy.

Mildred was born on Aug. 29, 1919, in Loraine, a daughter of Lewis and Amanda McNay Adair. She married J. Delbert "Deb" Reiter on Oct. 1, 1938. Delbert died Sept. 8, 1985. She later married Clinton Downs on June 1, 1989. Clinton died March 3, 2008.

Mildred was a 1937 graduate of Mendon Township High School in Mendon. She was a lifelong member of St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Mendon, a member and past president of the Altar Society and had served as a sponsor of the Junior Newman Club. She served on the election board in Lima Township (in Meyer) for many years, and was township assessor for Lima and Keene townships for 15 years.

She had been a member of the Meyer H.E.A. unit for over 20 years, and she helped organize and was a leader of the Meyer Good Luck 4-H Club. She survived through levee breaches in Meyer in 1944, 1960 and 1993 before moving to Quincy. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, crafting, gardening and fishing. She enjoyed taking art courses in drawing and oil painting. However, her greatest joy in life was taking care of her family.

Surviving are two children, Judy Tarkington of Quincy, and Leonard (Mary) Reiter of Quincy; eight grandchildren, Kathy (fiancAC. Jim Maher) Reiter of Cascade, Mont., Kermit Reiter of Lima, Kevin (Goldie Shinn) Reiter of Ursa, Adam (Casey) Reiter of Plymouth, Minn., Holly (Tony) Luetkenhaus of Pullman, Wash., Cpt. Alex (Leigh) Reiter of Clarksville, Tenn., Austin Reiter of Quincy and Aaron Reiter of Nashville, Tenn.; three great-grandchildren, Sgt. Brandon (Amanda) Reiter of Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash., Kaleb Reiter of Ursa and Asher Reiter of Plymouth, Minn.; one great-great-grandaughter, Hailey Reiter of Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash.; one sister, Doris Cornwell of Ursa; and two brothers, Jesse (Rozella) Adair of Quincy and Carl (Alice) Adair of Quincy.

She was preceded in death by one son, John D. Reiter, Jr.; a son-in-law, Richard Tarkington; one brother, Leo Adair; and two sisters, Ruth Andrew and Marjorie Fehse Hurley.

SERVICES: 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1, a Mass of Christian burial will be held in St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church, Mendon, conducted by the Rev. Jeff Stone. She will be laid to rest in Mendon Cemetery, Mendon.

VISITATION: 9 a.m. Monday until time of services in the church.

MEMORIALS: Activity Fund at the Illinois Veterans' Home, or Masses at St. Edward.

ARRANGEMENTS: Hunter Funeral Home, Mendon.

WEBSITE: www.hunterfh.com.

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