Wilbur "Buck" Downey, 77, a retired operating engineer, died at his home Saturday evening after a lingering illness.
He had lived in St. Ignace 12 years, also having lived in the Grand Rapids area.
He had been involved in highway construction and was a 45-year member of Local 324, Operating Engineers. He had been a superintendent for L.W. Edison Co. and for Johnson and Green, both highway construction companies.
He was born in Fife Lake, May 8, 1911, the son of Chris and Elizabeth (Bickford) Downey. In 1929 he married Letha Demmon, who died in 197. He married Theresa Demmon in 1976, and she survives.
Also surviving are thee daughters, Mrs. John (Betty) Battenfield of Croton, Mrs. Dewey (Shirley) Heuitt of Ft. Pierce, Fla., and Mr. Ray (Donna) Wilson of Fife Lake; three stepsons, Leonard Demmon of Ishpeming, Ernest Demmon of Gladstone and William Demmon of Gwinn; a stepdaughter, Kathleen Bruce of Harrison, Tenn.; nine grandchildren, nine step grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and one step great grandchild.
The funeral will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the Covell-Smith Funeral Home, Kingsley. The Rev. Beverly Prestwood-Taylor will officiate. Burial will be in Clark Cemetery, Fife Lake.
Friends may call today from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Davis-Dodson Funeral Home, St. Ignace, and Tuesday from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Covell-Smith Funeral Home in Kingsley.
Memorials may be directed to the Loryce M. Dyer Hospice of St. Ignace.
