Bitsy Downing

Bitsy Downing, 95, of Canyon, passed away on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. Services will be at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, August 18, 2025 at the First Methodist Church of Canyon with Rev. Matt Wolfington and Rev. Charlie Keys officiating. Burial will follow at Dreamland Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 3:00 to 5:00 P.M. on Sunday, August 17, 2025 at Brooks Chapel. Bitsy was born on February 3, 1930 in Sudan, Texas, the youngest of nine children born to Hosea and Naoma (Reynolds) Sigman. She was a 1948 graduate of West Texas High School in Canyon and attended Draughon's Business College in Lubbock. She married Scott Murphy Downing in 1951 in Canyon, and they were married for 66 years before he preceded her in death on November 24, 2017. Bitsy began working at West Texas State College as the Director of Finance and retired 28 years later in 1982 when it had become West Texas State University (now WTAMU). Her family, having been active members of the First Methodist Church of Canyon since the early 1900's, is the longest tenured family membership to date. She was a devoted member of the church and loved her Crusaders Sunday School Class. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Panhandle Plains Heritage Foundation for many years. Bitsy was an avid reader and thoroughly enjoyed watching the birds in her yard at the feeder and fountain. She and Scott were dedicated supporters of the WT Fast Break Fans and they loved working on Downing and Sigman family genealogy, traveling to research and documenting everything by hand. Bitsy is also preceded in death by her siblings, Mattie Mae Sigman Smith, Lois Otelah Sigman Black, Cecil Clinton Sigman, Recil Millard Sigman, Stanley Sigman, Carroll Dock Sigman, Mary Faye Sigman Jones, and V J Sigman. Survivors include her son, Stuart Downing and wife, Patricia of Amarillo; two granddaughters, Kayla Sullivan and husband, Craig of Keller and April Downing of Ft. Worth; two great grandchildren, twins, Hadley and Case Sullivan of Keller; and a sister-in-law, Shirley Sigman of Lubbock. The family suggests memorials be to the First Methodist Church, 1818 4th Ave., Canyon, Texas 79015.