Marjorie Louise Downing, 94, of Richland, WA, passed away Monday, July 1, 2013 at Richland Life Care Center in Richland, WA.

She was born February 3, 1919 at Emmett, Idaho to Margaret Russell and John Howard Sisler.

Marjorie married H. Warren Downing on May 25, 1940 in Grangeville, Idaho.

Marjorie and Warren lived in Richland from 1962 to 2001. Warren passed away in 2001 and Marjorie continued to live in Richland until recently when she moved to Sunnyside to be closer to her sons.

Marjorie graduated from Lewiston Normal School in 1939 and became a teacher in Idaho, and after one year of teaching, she married Warren.

Marjorie and Warren both helped build ships in the Vancouver shipyard during WWII. Mom was a welder and a fitter.

After the war, Marjorie stayed a home to raise her two sons, Darrell and David.

When Darrell and David began school she attended Eastern Washington State College and secured a Bachelor's Degree to begin a teaching career in Washington. She taught at Burbank, Lind, and Richland. She was very involved in Richland Education Association and Washington Education Association. In 1965, she was initiated into Delta Kappa Gamma honor society. She served on the TEPS commission in 1966 for a three year term. In 1967 she was appointed to the State Board for Revision of Certification Standards. In 1969, The Supt. of Public Instruction called her to serve three years on the Board of Trustees for the Teachers Retirement System of Washington. In 1978, she was the WSTRS Board Vice President and the Chairman in 1979Most of her career was spent at Marcus Whitman Elementary teaching 4th grade. She retired in 1974.

She was a great cook and made superb fried chicken. She really enjoyed knitting and handwork projects; making many gifts for her grandchildren over the years. She liked the great outdoors and traveling with Warren on hunting and fishing trips. On their travels she enjoyed collecting interesting rocks. They traveled to Hawaii, and Alaska, and cruised the Panama Canal. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy and their accomplishments brought her much happiness.

Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents Howard and Margaret; her husband, Warren; her brothers Gene, Jay and Larry Sisler and sister Helen.

She is survived by her sons; Darrell Joyce and David Susan; eight grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; one great, great-grandchild; and numerous relatives in Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and California.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, 2013, at Einan's Funeral Home. Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens.