David graduated from West Valley High School and Yakima Valley College, where he met the love of his life, Marilyn Dockter, whom he married in 1965. He was a forestry major at the University of Washington and was a member of the Theta Xi Fraternity. Drafted into the U.S. Army, he spent most of his service at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. After his discharge, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Seattle Pacific College. Answering God's call to ministry, he went on to earn his Master of Divinity at Western Evangelical Seminary in Portland, Oregon.
David served as an associate pastor at Ballard Free Methodist Church for two years, pastored Anchorage Free Methodist Church for 11 years, and the Burien Free Methodist Church in Seattle for 23 years. Upon retiring in 2009, he and his family moved to Tenino, Washington.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his middle brother, Michael Downie. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 59 years, Marilyn; two sons, Kevin (Carolyn) and granddaughter Sophia, of Anchorage, Alaska, and Keith of Everett, Washington; a daughter, Karen (Alex) and granddaughter Alison Vandamme, of Brussels, Belgium; and a younger brother, Richard (Laurel) Downie, of Portland, Oregon.
David was a loving, caring and gentle Godly husband, father and friend, and he will be sorely missed. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at Highline Christian Church in Burien, Washington.
