DOWNEY – Former Downey Mayor Bob Winningham, universally regarded as one of the brightest and most caring and effective civic leaders in the city’s history, died Tuesday at his home in Yorba Linda after a long battle against cancer. He was 59.

Bob was the current President of the Optimist Club of Downey, and was honored twice in the last few weeks by the Downey City Council. His service to the city was recognized at a special ceremony on April 28, then the ballroom at the Rio Hondo Event Center was named in his honor on the day he passed away. Bob will also be inducted into the Downey High School Hall of Fame on June 5.