The late Dero Downing was a family man, an educator, a World War II veteran and a dear friend to many in this community.

Downing, former president of Western Kentucky University from 1969 to 1979, died Monday at the age of 89.

The former university president lived a charmed and blessed life and will be remembered for his devotion to this family, WKU and to this community.

Dero Downing was a big name in this community and especially on Western’s campus, where he attended college.

As a student, Downing played basketball for legendary coach E.A. Diddle. It was at WKU that he met Harriet, his wife of 67 years.

After graduating from WKU in 1943, Downing enlisted in the Navy. He served in World War II as an officer on a ship that carried troops and supplies to the beaches at Normandy on D-Day in June 1944.

Upon returning to the U.S. after the war, Downing coached basketball and taught math at College High School, where he later became principal in 1956 and served until 1959. During that time, he completed his Master of Arts degree.

Downing worked his way through the ranks at WKU, making countless friendships that he maintained until his death. After earning an educational specialist degree, Downing was named registrar, then director of admissions for WKU. He later served as dean of business affairs before becoming vice president for administrative affairs.

He became WKU’s president in 1969 and was only the fourth person to hold that position since the school’s founding in 1906.

For those who knew Downing, he will be remembered as a man who always had time to talk, for his leadership style, his devotion to the task at hand and the professional nature in which he always conducted himself, no matter the setting.

He was a true gentleman.

WKU president Gary Ransdell entered WKU in 1969, when Downing was president. Ransdell landed his first job at WKU in 1974.

Ransdell’s memories of the man are very telling of exactly who Dero Downing was.

He remembers observing Downing at administrative meetings and paying attention to his leadership style, his firmness, his resolve and his dedication to WKU.

It is also very telling about the man that all of Downing’s five children attended WKU. Downing exemplified the WKU spirit and that spirit was passed down, as three of those five children are now educators just as their father was.

Six of Downing’s 13 grandchildren graduated from WKU and two are currently enrolled.

What an unbelievable legacy.

Dero Downing’s death is the end of an era. He will be deeply missed, but his life and his devotion to WKU will never be forgotten.