Rod Lee Downing

Rod Lee Downing, 64, of Conneaut Lake died at home Saturday, August 3, 2019.  He was born in Meadville March 5, 1955 a son of Raymond Sherwood and Shirley Lou Weikel Downing.

He was a graduate of Conneaut Lake High School and had attended Edinboro University and Penn State University with course work in special education, communication and business management.  He started his career working for various radio stations, worked for 10 years for Comcast Spotlight, was a cable TV advertising executive with Via Media and most recently worked for the National Federation of Independent Businesses.

He was an avid reader, enjoyed history and politics and following the local band “The Ruckus Band.”  He also loved watching his daughters play sports and excel in school.

He is survived by two daughters, Sarah Downing and Hannah Downing both of Bay Village, OH; his parents, Raymond “Buck” and Shirley “Tucker” Downing of Conneautville; his former wife, Betsy Downing of Bay Village, OH; a niece, Chelsea Downing; a nephew, Colter Downing; a sister-in-law, Ronda Downing; two aunts, Hazel “Boots” Milosh and Lou Ann Swartzlander (Norman), all of  Conneaut Lake and five cousins, Glenn Milosh of Conneaut Lake, Carol Singleterry of Sarasota, FL, Sheree Hawk of Akron, OH, Shirley Workman of Akron, OH, and Sandra Loreno of Conneaut Lake, PA as well as extended family.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Tod Raymond Downing; an aunt, Eileen “Tootie” Hawk and her husband Lawrence; an uncle, Elmer Milosh; his maternal grandparents, Leon and Louise Weikel and his paternal grandparents, Richard and Hazel Downing.

A Celebration of Rod’s Life will be held Saturday, August 24th from 1-4 p.m. at the Conneaut Lake Volunteer Fire Department Station 3, 11877 Conneaut Lake Rd., Conneaut Lake.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society, P.O. Box 425, Conneaut Lake, PA 16316.

The arrangements have been entrusted to WAID-COLEMAN FUNERAL HOME, 12422 CONNEAUT LAKE RD., CONNEAUT LAKE where memories and condolences may be shared at www.waidcolemanfh.com.