Elsie Katherine Downing, 96 of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin passed away peacefully after a short illness on Friday, August 18, 2023 at Crossing Rivers Hospital in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. She was born October 3, 1926 to Joseph and Katherine (Vollman) Panka in Eastman Township. Elsie was united in marriage with Francis Wilford Downing on June 7, 1952 at St. Gabriels Catholic Church in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Throughout the years, Elsie enjoyed being a homemaker. She stayed busy canning, baking, gardening and tending to her flowers. In her your years she spent time fishing. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family and playing with her little grandchildren.
Surviving Elsie are her two daughters, Sally (LeRoy) Anderson of Janesville, Wisconsin and Marlene Beyers of Tomah, Wisconsin; two sons, Joseph Downing of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin and Bruce (Patty) Downing of Steuben, Wisconsin; seventeen grandchildren; thirty-eight great-grandchildren and fifteen great-great-grandchildren.
Elsie was preceded in death by her husband, Francis Downing; daughter, Janet Paulson; parents, Joseph and Katherine Panka; daughter-in-law, Brenda Downing; sister, Josephine Chronger and brother-in-law, Donald Chronger.
There will be a visitation from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and a Funeral Service at 11:00 am on Friday, August 25, 2023 at Thornburg-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Thornburg- Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Prairie du ChieN, Wisconsin is assisting the family with services.