Doris Downey Obituary

Lt. Col., Doris P. Downey (US Army Ret.), 73, died Thursday, March 10, 2011 at her home in Colorado Springs. She was born January 15, 1938 at Dodge City, the daughter of Michael W. and Nellie F. O'Keefe Downey. She attended Sacred Heart School in Dodge City and was a 1955 graduate of Ford High School. She worked as a nurses aid at St. Anthony Hospital in Dodge City from 1955 to 1958. She attended St. Mary of the Plains College, Dodge City and Wichita Saint Joseph School of Nursing and became a registered Nurse in 1961 and returned to Dodge City. In May 1966, she joined the US Army Corp as a 1st Lieutenant. In 1967, she was assigned to the 3rd Field Hospital in Saigon, Vietnam and was promoted to Captain. She left Vietnam during "TET" in 1968 and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal. In 1970 she returned to Dodge City and obtained her B.S. Degree in Nursing from St. Mary of the Plains. She was then stationed at San Antonio, Texas, Huntsville, Alabama, Bad Krausnach, Germany and Denver. In November 1979, after 10 different assignments and 14 years in the Army, she was transferred to Ft. Carson, Colorado where she spent 6 years as the Supervisor of Surgery. She was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1980. In 1986, after 20 years in the Army, she retired and remained in Colorado Springs and took the position as Clinical Manager of Surgery at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs retiring in 2008. Survivors include: 2 brothers, Jerry Downey, Dodge City and Tim Downey, Swink, Colorado; 2 sisters, Norma Jean O'Brien, Ventura, California and Kathleen Konda, Dodge City; 32 nephews and nieces and numerous great nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, 4 brothers, Fr. Pat Downey, Mike Downey, Tom Downey and Brother David Downey, 3 sisters, Helen Orth, Edith Downey and Lora Ann Thompson and several nephews and nieces. Vigil Service will be 7:00 pm Thursday, March 17, 2011 at Burkhart-Ziegler Funeral Chapel, Dodge City. Funeral Mass will be 11:00 am Friday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dodge City, with Fr. Ted A. Skalsky presiding. Friends may call from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm Thursday at Burkhart-Ziegler Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in Greencrest Memorial Gardens, Dodge City, with full military rites by Ft. Riley Honor Guard. The family suggests memorials to the Ford County Humane Society, Humane Society of Pikes Peak Region or the American Cancer Society all in care of Burkhart-Ziegler Funeral Chapel, 1901 N. 14th Ave., Dodge City, Kansas 67801. Condolences may be sent to www.burkhart-ziegler.com.