Funeral services for Illa Mae Downs, 88, of St. James, Minnesota, will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday morning, November 21, 2014, at the St. James Chapel of Sturm Funeral Home-St. James. The funeral home is located at 906 10th Avenue south in St. James.
Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, located east of St. James on Watonwan County Road #27.
Reverend Maggie Cummings will officiate at the services.
Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the funeral home the day of the funeral service.
Illa Mae Downs passed away in Mankato, Minnesota on Thursday, November 6, 2014.
Illa Mae Sigurdson was born July 26, 1926, at Minneota, Minnesota, the daughter of Olivar and Hilda (Kaas) Sigurdson. She grew up in the Watertown, South Dakota area, where she graduated from high school. She moved to California and worked for the Hearst Newspaper organization for a couple years before returning to South Dakota. She then worked for the Midland Life Insurance Company, where she met Thomas John “Jack” Downs.
The couple were married in Webster, South Dakota in 1950. After their marriage, the couple made their home in St. James, where Illa and Jack raised their family of seven children. She owned and operated Illa’s Gallery for over 20 years.
She is survived by her children, Candace (Dennis) Witte of St. Peter, Minnesota, Mary Downs of Butterfield, Minnesota, Thomas Jr. (Teresa) Downs of Mound, Minnesota, James (Janet) Downs of North Mankato, Minnesota and Lisa (Dean) Malmgren of Alexandria, Minnesota; nine grandchildren, Tammy Kamm, Holly (Chris) Just, Stephanie (Jacob) Klatte, Aaron (Abbie) Malmgren, Matthew Malmgren, Kathryn (Jeremy) Zediker, Jennifer (Daniel) Stromquist, Jacob (Tessa) Downs and Joel Downs; seven great-grandchildren, Reid Kamm, Zachary Just, Jackson and William Klatte, John Zediker, Joseph Stromquist and Henry Downs.
Preceding her in death were her husband and two daughters, Jeanne and Carol.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Watonwan County Humane Society.
