Oscar "Bo" Leroy Downing

Oscar Leroy Downing, a Legend of Nowata, Oklahoma, known to many as “Uncle Bo”, went home to be with our Heavenly Father on Tuesday, November 26, 2024. Bo was born on April 14, 1929, in Chelsea, OK. to Lorene (Vann) Downing and Roy Downing. Bo lost his mother at a very young age. A few years later, Roy married Corine (Wooten) Downing who helped raise Bo.

Bo attended school in Pryor Creek, OK, then at a young age he had to stay home and help with the garden and take care of his siblings. Most of his younger years were spent on the ranch learning to rope and ride. He was an excellent baseball player, hard worker, and jack of all trades. As he got older, he went to work for St Louis San Francisco Railroad, broke horses, and trained them for others. He also became an excellent steer and calf roper and loved to hunt and fish. During his years, he won lots of awards and was named All-Around Cowboy. Then, on June 15, 2024, he was inducted into Nowata’s Juneteenth Hall of Fame.

Bo was a wonderful cook and loved to provide food for all occasions. You didn’t always know what you were eating and if you asked then you were probably told it was roadkill, but it did taste good. He was famous for his own signature Barbecue Sauce and Whorehouse Beans. People came from far and wide for the sauce. Bo was a wonderful storyteller and loved to grow vegetables in his garden, so he could share them with his community. He never met a stranger and would give you the shirt off his back. Bo loved to have fun and was life of the party. He loved music and played instruments and even liked to drop it like it’s hot!

On March 1, 1961, Bo married the love of his life Johnetta Jane (Dennis) Downing and made their home in Nowata. Johnetta had a daughter Charlene Spears in which he raised as his own. Then January 1964 him and Johnetta had a little boy Mitchell Jay Downing. He went on to work for Union 107 at many different job sites then went to work for Oolagah Public Service until he retired.

Survivors include his son: Mitchell Jay Downing Sr., Sisters: Gladys Doyle, Verna Rogers, Karen Watson, Vina Ramsey, Valorie Downing; Brothers: Paul Downing, Farris Downing, Bobby Downing; Grandchildren: Mona Slay, Jerry Marshall Jr., Jerod Marshall, Gilbert Norton, Destiny Wilson, Gary Wilson, Denasha Hayward, Shamira Hayward, Erin Towers, Tyren Ricks, Mitchell Jay Downing Jr., Nevaeh Jane Downing, Nylah Ann Downing, his aunt, Rosalee White, multiple great and great-great grandkids and a numerous amount of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife: Johnetta Downing, Parents: Roy and Lorene Downing, Stepmother: Corine Downing, Daughter: Charlene Jones, Brothers: John Downing, Solomon Downing, Sisters: Betty Mae Downing, Juanita Downing, Gracie Carter, Grandsons: Clinton Norton Jr., and Eilbert Norton.

The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 PM Thursday December 5, 2024, at Benjamin Funeral Home in Nowata, OK. A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, December 6, 2024, at 11:00 AM at Hillside Christian Church in Nowata with Pastor John Martin officiating. Interment will follow in Nowata Memorial Cemetery with Terrance Johnson, Corrie Downing, Quenton Ishem, Travis Rickey, Brandon Ishem and Davin Carter serving as casket bearers. 

Services have been entrusted to Benjamin Funeral Service. To leave an online condolence, visit www.honoringmemoriesnowata.com. Online condolences may be left at www.honoringmemoriesnowata.com or on the funeral home Facebook page. Arrangements are in the care of Benjamin Funeral Home of Nowata, OK.