Alma Lorraine Downen (Birnbaum) Gruenig , 97,  Wednesday, died Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at Good Samaritan-St. Martin Village.  Alma Downen was born May 1, 1921, In Fairburn SD to Lewis and Margret (Sievers) Downen. She grew up on the family ranch west of Fairburn with her brothers Wendle, Warren and Maynard Downen.  During that time Alma saw Presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Dwight Eisenhower and later on Ronald Reagan.  Saw the Strato bowl balloon flights and witnessed the carving of Mt. Rushmore.  She graduated from Fairburn High School in 1938, attended business college in Mitchell, SD , IBM school in Minneapolis, MN and worked as a IBM key punch operator in Igloo, SD.

Alma married Lawrence Birnbaum in 1943.  Born to that union were six sons, Bill, Mike, Jim, Pat, Terry, and Bruce.  She worked at Magnetic Peripherals and 16 years at K Mart.

Alma married Lester Gruenig October 15,  1976.  They traveled all over the US attending 30 national bowling tournaments and she was inducted into the SD Bowling Hall of Fame.  Alma and Lester moved to Fall City, WA  for 13 years, after Lester passed away March 4, 1996 she returned to Rapid City SD.

Alma enjoyed many trips to Deadwood with special friend Ted Waterson.

Alma is survived by her sons, Mike (Sarah) Birnbaum, of Rapid City, Jim Birnbaum, of Scottsdale, AZ, Pat (Lee) Birnbaum, of Bellingham, WA and Terry (Jenny)  Birnbaum, of Chadron, NE; step-daughter, Patty Jackson, of Rapid City; a brother, Maynard Downen, of Fairburn; three granddaughters; two step-grandsons; four great grandchildren; two great great  grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Lester, two sons Bill and Bruce Birnbaum, two brothers Wendle and Warren Downen, and special friend Ted Waterson.

Visitation will be Wednesday, April 10, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m.wake service at St Therese Catholic Church.

Christian funeral mass will be offered at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 11, at St Therese Catholic Church with Father Bill Zandri presiding.  Burial will follow at 1:30 p.m. at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

A memorial has been established to St Therese Catholic Church.