Donna Lois Downing

Donna Lois (Vaughn) Downing, 84, of South Coffeyville, OK, chose the early morning hours of Thursday December 5th, 2024, to take her first step over the threshold of the pearly gates into the Heaven she had longed to see. There to greet her home would be her Savior, Jesus Christ along with her daughter, Terri Lynn and many other friends and family members long since parted.

Lois, as she preferred to be called, or Grammy Jo, if you knew her that well, was born and raised in Childers, OK to Aaron Bluford and Mable Florence (Wood) Vaughn, April 7th, 1940. She was the youngest of her family, following two sisters, Ethel Elaine Hicks (Walter) and Lydia Mae McGrew (Jack) along with a brother, Walter (Pete) Aaron Vaughn (Betty). 

She grew up and played along the bluff more readily known as Copperhead Ridge. She and her sister would haul water from the spring just off the backside of their property, as there was no running water at that time in their house...no electricity either. She attended Childers School where she graduated in May of 1958, just a month after she had both turned eighteen and had married the love of her life Larry Travis Downing. After their marriage they made their home in South Coffeyville and lived there for 23 years until they divorced in 1981. During those 23 years they had two children, Terri Lynn (Downing) Pugh, and Michael Travis Downing.

Lois' life was always a busy life and their house was always a full house, as they embarked on such endeavors as: Coaching baseball, being the voter's registrar for the area, along with the Democratic Chairpersons for Nowata County, Bible Quiz Host Family, and entertaining any child who would happen onto the boulevard...that usually meant feeding them. 

When life changed her family dynamics Lois adapted right along, as she went from stay-at-home mom and wife to management...first at Hardee's in Coffeyville...then on to become Resident Manager of The Appletree Inn of Coffeyville...and finally City Clerk of South Coffeyville, where she finally retired. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; Aaron Bluford and Mabel Florence Vaughn, her brother Pete, her oldest sister, Sissy Hicks; and her daughter Terri Lynn Pugh.

She is survived by: her son, Michael Travis Downing of the home; her sister, Lydia Mae McGrew of the Kansas City area; 3 grandchildren, Travis Wilburn Pugh (Ashley) of Burbank, OK; Chadric James Pugh (Heather) of Oklahoma City, OK; and Richard Joseph Pugh of Tulsa, OK; along with 4 great-grandchildren, Madelyn and Liam of Burbank and Oliver and Tatum of OKC, also many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews along with a host of friends.

 The family will receive friends from 12:00-1:00 PM Thursday December 12, 2024, at Emmanual Chapel in South Coffeyville, OK. A Celebration of Life will immediately follow the visitation at 1:00 PM, December 12, 2024. Interment will follow in Ball Cemetery. 

To leave an online condolence, visit www.honoringmemoriesnowata.com. Online condolences may be left at www.honoringmemoriesnowata.com or on the funeral home Facebook page. Arrangements are in the care of Benjamin Funeral Home of Nowata, OK.