Obituary of David John Downing

Dr. David (Dave) John Downing died June 15, 2024 in Clarkston, MI.   Dave was born July 18, 1950 in Moline, IL, the son of John and Evelyn (Dohrn) Downing.

He graduated from Augustana College with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and then received a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Iowa in 1977.  Dave began teaching at Oakland University in Rochester, MI in August 1977.  In 1983, Dave received the Oakland University Teaching Excellence Award.  He was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Oakland from August, 1994 until September, 2006.  Dave retired on July 1, 2014 as Professor Emeritus.

On May 26, 1979, Dave was united in marriage to Jane Elizabeth Raab at St. Mary’s Church in Clinton.  They resided in the Lake Orion, MI area.

Dave and Jane loved spending time together cooking and playing cribbage.  He was an exceptional connoisseur.  Dave and Jane enjoyed visiting fine restaurants.  And he was a wonderfully talented cook.  Dave shared his passion for food with his family through his cooking and choice of restaurants.  His generosity was shown through his insistence on picking up the tab and tipping well.  In 2004, Dave and Jane created an endowment at Oakland University.   

Dave and Jane also loved traveling especially to Mackinac Island with relatives.  And, although Dave enjoyed following all baseball, basketball and football games, the sport he was most passionate about was Iowa Football.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Jane.

He is survived by brothers-in-law John (Peg) Raab of Iowa City, IA and Michael (Sheri) Raab of Boone, IA.  His nephews and nieces are: Adam (Jolene) Raab of Iowa City, IA; Julie (Bryan) Artman of Kearney, NE; Rebecca Raab (Mikko Wolf) of Portland, OR; and Kevin Raab (Kathleen Montes) of Longmont, CO.  Dave’s grandnieces and grandnephews are: Gwendolyn, Calvin and Jack Raab of Iowa City, IA; Olivia, Bryan Michael and Emma Artman of Kearney, NE and Paavo and Osmo Wolf of Portland OR.

Jane and Dave are deeply missed.

A family graveside service was held at Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City on September 7, 2024.