Lawrence Earl Downs, 86, of Hawkeye, died Wednesday, December 16, 2015, at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette.

Funeral Mass will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 19, 2015, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Sumner with pastor and good friend Rev. James Brokman officiating. Interment will be at Oak Lawn Cemetery, rural Hawkeye. Friends may call from 9:30 until  service time at the church on Saturday. Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner is assisting the family.

Lawrence Earl Downs was born April 6, 1929, to Garfield and Jennie (Kelly) Downs near Donnan, Iowa. He worked on farms as a young man, and later worked for Wright Tree Service, Darling & Co., and Tama Meat Packing Co. as a maintenance mechanic until he retired.

Lawrence was married to Rita Mihm on October 4, 1952, at St. Luke’s Church in St. Lucas, Iowa. He enjoyed fishing and gardening and his cat, Bud.

In addition to his wife, Lawrence is survived by his children, David (Brinda) Downs of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, Charles (Brenda) Downs of Fayette, and Deanne (Kurt) Bachman of Ankeny; grandchildren, Justin and Jacob Downs, Matthew and Bethany Bachman; two step granddaughters, Lori Bachman and Stacy Minichello; six great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Lawrence was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Edna Downs, Alma Klinger, and Blanche Hendren; and triplet grandsons, Jason, Jeffrey, and Joshua Downs.