Downing & Lahey Mortuary was formed in 1978 when Downing Mortuary, founded in 1923, merged with Lahey Mortuary, which had served the Wichita area since 1913.

Founded by J.H. Downing in 1923, Downing Mortuary was one of the first firms in Wichita to operate solely as a funeral home. In 1932, Downing's son-in-law, John J. Morris, joined the firm as an embalmer, becoming manager in 1940. John's son, Jack, carried on the family tradition, joining Downing in 1957 and becoming manager in 1965.

Downing Mortuary became the first mortuary in the state to install a crematory in 1958. Members of the Kansas Funeral Directors Association and National Funeral Directors Association, the firm was invited to join the prestigious National Select Morticians in 1959. At the time of the merger in 1978, Downing offered both downtown and East Wichita locations.

Lahey Mortuary, founded in 1913 as City Undertaking by Charles Lahey and Earl Martin, originally operating from a storefront in downtown Wichita. The name of the business was changed to Lahey and Martin Mortuary in 1926, and then to Lahey Mortuary in 1938 when Lahey purchased Martin's interest in the firm. Thomas Lahey, Charles' son, joined the business in 1948. At the time of the merger with Downing, Lahey Mortuary also operated from an East Wichita location.

Following the merger in 1978, Lahey Mortuary closed its east location and operated from the downtown Downing facilities until the building was destroyed by fire in 1980. At that time, business offices were relocated to the firm's east location at 6555 E. Central. In 1986, Jack Morris' son, Tom, joined the firm as a funeral director and embalmer, having worked part-time for the business as a student since 1978. Tom Morris was named vice president of the funeral home in 1994, and president in 1999.

With the City of Wichita's continued expansion westward, Downing & Lahey began construction of a new west side facility in 1998. Completed in 1999, the new, state-of-the-art facility at 10515 W. Maple provides improved coverage of West Wichita.