116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Steve Downer
Age: 51
City: Aurora
Funeral Date
10:30 a.m., Monday, 11/15, at Grace United Methodist Church, Lamont
Funeral Home
Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Steve Downer
STEVE DOWNER
Aurora
Steve Downer, 51, of Aurora, Iowa, died suddenly on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 10, 2021, at UnityPoint-St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids.
Funeral service: 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 15, at the Grace United Methodist Church, Lamont, with Pastor Lisa Schroeder officiating.
Visitation: 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday and also for one hour before the service on Monday at the Grace United Methodist Church in Lamont.
Interment: Union Cemetery, Putnam Township, rural Aurora, Iowa.
Condolences may be directed to the family at 3486 30th St., Lamont, IA 50650.
Fawcett-Schmitz Funeral Homes, Winthrop and Lamont, are assisting the family.
Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing and masks are suggested at the visitation and service.
Steven Edward Downer was born on April 28, 1970, in Manchester, Iowa, the son of Jon Richards & Kaye Annette (Reiling) Downer. He was raised at rural Lamont where he attended Starmont High School and enjoyed playing football and spending time with his friends. Steve graduated from Starmont in the class of 1988. He continued his education at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Steve was married to Heather Bissell for 24 years and they were blessed with a son, Carter. They later divorced. Steve worked at Exide Technologies in Manchester for five years, the Target Distribution Center in Cedar Falls for 12 years and was currently in the maintenance department at Quaker Oats in Cedar Rapids, where he had worked for the past five years.
Steve was an avid football fan, always cheering on the Green Bay Packers. He enjoyed riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, fishing, planning vacations, listing to music and attending live concerts, cooking smoked meats, entertaining his friends and family and spending time at the family farm.
Steve is survived by his son, Carter Downer of Aurora; two stepchildren, Austin (Jenny) Bissell of Coon Rapids, Minn., and Dakotah Bissell (Michael Hursey) of Oelwein; two stepgrandchildren, Rosalie and Sterling; parents, Jon and Kaye Downer of Lamont; sister, Lisa (Keith) Douglas of Byron, Minn.; brother, Greg (Katy) Downer of Lamont; several aunts, uncles and cousins; and his dog, Rudy.
Steve was preceded in death by his grandparents, Harold and Maxine Downer and Clair and Ruth Reiling and two uncles, Randy Reiling and Richard Downer.

Daily Newsletters