Jean C. Davis

Jean Claire (Bothwell) Davis, our mother, who was born July 19, 1928 in Jewell County, Kansas, passed away on February 21, 2013. She moved with her parents, Harold James Bothwell and Opal Joy (Wilson) Bothwell, to the place we all came to know and love as our grandparents' farm when she was about seven years old. Though Jean never really fancied herself a farm girl, she could do it all: whip up a meal for a crowd, sew the family clothes, can a bunch of bread 'n butter pickles, or make her own cottage cheese. She often joked that she didn't need a thermometer to make cottage cheese; she would just stick her finger in the milk and know when it was ready. She attended White Rock School as a child and started high school in Lovewell, Kansas before moving into Mankato to live with relatives while she finished high school there. Shortly after graduating from high school, Jean married our dad, Donald Dean Davis, and together they moved to Hays, Kansas where Don "Gabby" attended Ft. Hays State University and where we, her two children, were born.

After Don finished college, Jean and he lived in three different Kansas towns: Smith Center, Beloit, and Manhattan. From Manhattan they moved to Salado, Texas, and there began another colorful chapter of Jean's life. In each town Jean made many friends and became an active member of the community. She always worked from the time her children were small and had many interesting jobs. She was a dental assistant and later became a USDA clerk. While living in Manhattan and after her children had finished their university education, Jean decided to begin her own university career and enrolled at Kansas State University. She was an honor student and majored in history as an undergraduate but then changed to the College of Education where she completed a Master's and a Ph.D. During and after her Ph.D. studies, Jean served with K-State's extension program as the Kansas seat belt representative and also gave considerable time working with a displaced homemakers program. Her love of history was always evident. She enjoyed reading good books about history and politics and also loved collecting and selling antiques. She was proud to have been an early member of the Brown Foundation in Topeka, Kansas when it began its work to preserve the legacy of the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education court decision. In Texas, she chaired the Salado Art Fair for several years, played an integral part in the coordination of the Elderhostel Program offered through the University of Mary Hardin Baylor, and also was active in the local Salado historical society. With the help and support of contacts from their "Spring House" antique store, Jean was able to enhance many of these programs. To be sure, if Jean Davis was in charge of the historical tour or activity, you knew it would be well done. She also made an effort to preserve many of the historical pieces from the family farm, and one great regret as her children is that we didn't encourage her to write more details about the furniture, pictures, jewelry, and the like that she had saved from her parents and grandparents.

When her own parents' health failed, Jean and Don returned to Manhattan, Kansas and made even more friends. She loved their home at Tuttle Creek Lake where the neighbors shared her political views so much they all referred to their spot on the lake as Democrat Ridge. One of her last smiles came when someone made a political joke about the Republican party. Besides her work for and support of the Democratic Party, Jean was a member of several local historical societies, the Smith Center Entre Nous club, PEO, and an informal group she and her friend, Wixie Faubion, referred to as the What-the-Hell'rs.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Opal Joy Bothwell; her mother- and father-in-law, Ruby and Newell Davis; her younger brother, David Bothwell; her sisters-in-law, Joyce Meyer and Betty Tyrell; a brother-in-law, Harry "Pooch" Tyrell; a nephew, Cameron Bothwell; a niece, Susie McElroy; and several friends she missed enormously. She is survived by her husband of nearly 67 years, Don Davis; her son, Daniel James Davis, with his wife, Nancy, and children, Kane, Booker, and Oakley; her daughter, Donna Davis, with her husband, Shawn Nouri, and daughter, Ada Davis-Nouri; and countless friends of all ages. She will be missed by many.

At her request, Jean's body was cremated. A memorial service will be held at a later date and every effort will be made to let those she loved know the details.