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Wanda "Toots" Downey and Donald Clark
Our family experienced two great losses this summer. On August 13, 2009, Jeff’s mom, Wanda “Toots” Downey passed away at our home. Earlier this summer she was taken from her home by ambulance to the hospital. Jeff’s brother, Tim, called Jeff with the news that the doctors didn’t expect her to make it through the night. We met Kelly, KC, Zach, and newborn Carson in Douglas and made our way to the Springs. We got to the hospital sometime just before midnight and Toots was very, very weak. She surprised the doctors, though, by still being around come morning and, in fact, stronger. She continued to gain strength, despite multiple tiring and invasive procedures and tests, and she was finally able to be discharged to a rehab center. After a little over a week there, she was able to be discharged into Tim’s care. He took her home and Jeff and John picked her up there and brought her home to us. She was able to spend the next five or six weeks with our family visiting, playing cards, occasionally visiting Donald and Chris at their home, and she was able to be here when Jill and Leo brought home newborn Mya. Her doctor here was great, and she had nurses and therapists here about every other day. After two rounds of chemotherapy, though, due to her worsening blood tests and her weakening condition, the doctor and Toots decided that it was better to hold any further treatment and start hospice. Just 4 days after that decision and before much of that could be put into effect, Toots passed away in the evening on August 13th with Tim and Jeff at her bedside.

The night before Toots’ passing, on August 12th, we got another urgent call, this time from Jeff’s cousin, Dee. Jeff’s uncle Donald was in the Rapid City Hospital and he was also not expected to make it through the night. We moved to Wyoming because of Donald. He helped us in every way possible. He was like another father to Jeff and our kids favorite “grandpa.” Once again, we made the mad dash to another hospital. Donald, like Toots, was incredibly weak. Also like Toots, he made it through the night. For his wife, Chris, and their kids, that night was spent making arrangements to bring Donald home. After 3 months of confusion as to Donald’s diagnosis, it was finally determined that he had pancreatic carcinoma. They were bringing him home to spend his last time with his family, in the home that they built. After learning that he was going to go home, his spirits lifted remarkably. He survived his trip home in good spirits. Paul and grandson, Brian, had set up his hospital bed in his living room and all was ready when he arrived. After arriving home, Donald had a continuous, steady stream of friends visiting that lasted the rest of his life. Chrissy, his granddaughter, was head nurse and did an amazing job, with Dee and Chris backing her up. He had his family there day and night, and almost a week later when he passed away, they were there to say good-bye.

Both Toots and Donald were amazing people. They have more friends than anyone I know. People seem to come and go in our lives, but in their lives people only came…and they stayed. They were loved.
The slide show presented at the service:

Wanda Downey Memorial Service Document
Letters from their Family

To Donald from Tim

For Mom from Jeff

A Tribute to Donald from Brian

To Grandpa from Alex