Nona Faye Davis' Obituary
Nona Faye Davis of Dallas, Texas passed away on December 6, 2013 after a brief period of declining health. She was the third child born to Cecil and Susie Lewis in a farmhouse located outside of Avery, Texas on December 16, 1931. There, she shared the experiences of farm and small town life with her older brother Boyce (Pete), older sister Dorothy Jo, and younger sister Bobbie Jean. Dorothy Jo died as a child in 1934 from a childhood illness, father Cecil retired from farming and moved to West Texas where he died in Midland in 1961, brother Pete lived in Dallas where he worked, raised a family, and died in Dallas in 1999, and mother Susie eventually moved to Dallas to be with her children, where she died in 2000. Bobbie Jean currently lives in McKinney with her family. Life on an East Texas farm during the Great Depression could be difficult. The family lived in a four room house just outside of town. The family lived on what they were able to raise in the way of crops, poultry, and livestock, trading the fruits of their labor for mercantile. The life required all members to do their part in taking care of household and farm chores, many to be started before sunrise and completed before leaving for work or school. During harvest, work sometimes went into the early morning hours. And when there was not as much work on the farm, there was often work in town, usually agricultural related. During the hot summers packing produce in the refrigerated railroad cars was popular part time job to get out of the heat. In later years, the rural “early to rise and early to bed” lifestyle became a source of many humorous conflicts between Nona and her urban raised children and husband. Life for the Lewis’ had its lighter side as well. The “house in the woods” seemed to be the place where the neighboring kids liked to be, where there were often Sunday afternoon baseball games in the field by the house, friends dropping by on the weekend, sometimes sleeping over, or sometimes wanting to go into town for a movie. And there were always relatives nearby to get together with for holidays and special occasions, often coming and going by the wagon load. Though the family worked long days and money was often scarce, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis saw to it that all their children regularly attended school and church so they could be prepared to pursue better lives. In 1949 Nona graduated from Avery High School, then moved to Tyler, Texas to attend the Tyler Business School. From there she moved to an apartment in Dallas, which she shared with three other young women in the young singles area along Gaston Avenue during the 1950’s. She obtained an executive secretarial position at the main Sears and Roebuck store and shipping center on Lamar Street, riding the street car across town from her apartment. Many of her new friends, also young and newcomers to Dallas, attended Gaston Avenue Baptist Church, a large well established church of the time. Nona tagged along and there she was introduced to Bob W. Davis of Houston, Texas, a World War II Army Air Corp veteran, recent graduate from Texas A&M, and her future husband. Soon after being married in the chapel of Gaston Avenue Baptist on June 11, 1955, the newlywed couple moved to a newly built house in Far East Dallas. There they started their family with the birth of their son, Mark, followed a few years later with the birth of their daughter Ronda. Later the family moved to a larger house not far away. These years were centered on her family. In addition to maintaining the household, she kept her children enrolled in various programs and activities, joined and served in the local PTA, and volunteered for such positions as “room mother” for her children’s class at school, or a teacher with their Vacation Bible School. She was both surprised and pleased years later when her children’s classmates, then in high school or college, would approach her to say hello and share their memories of her volunteer time with them and the M&M cookies she made for their event, a favorite at home and with classmates Family not only included the members of her own household, but those of her siblings and those of her husband’s sibling as well. Holidays were usually centered on time with extended family in Houston or the Dallas area, where numerous cousins came together and created levels of energy and noise that only healthy and happy youth are capable of creating. Many summer vacations were spent camping with other families by a lake, with boats for skiing, fishing, or just riding around in the evenings. When a change of climate was called for, a trip to the mountains seemed to be the answer. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, many weekends were spent attending ballgames, drill team performances, piano recitals, and other various activities that Nona’s children, nieces and nephews, and children of friends were involved with. These were eventually followed by a multitude of weddings, each with showers and parties. Through all this, Aunt Nona was a favorite that could always be counted upon to attend, help out, or host by not only her several nieces and nephews, but their children as well. Once her children were older, Nona went back to work and eventually ended up as an executive secretary with Energy Publications. Later, she joined the Baptist General Convention of Texas in the same occupation, where she worked until she retired. However, retirement did not mean life slowed down. The family quickly expanded with the births of 6 grandchildren between 1996 and 2001. Rachael Wooley was the first to arrive, followed by twin cousins Courtney and Kendall Davis. The boys were next with the arrival of twin brothers Kyle and Chris Davis, followed closely by Ryan Wooley. Nona launched into her grandmother duties with diligence, staying up with sick infants to relieve exhausted parents, helping to transport kids to places they needed to be, making a grandchild’s day special, and helping them feel loved and a little spoiled. With the exception of one trip of a lifetime to Europe with Bob, vacations again became centered on family with several summer trips to the beach. In June of 2005, Nona and Bob, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, at Nona’s request, by taking a trip to Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida with their children and grandchildren. Our family would like to express their appreciation to the numerous family members, friends, co-workers, the members of the former Gaston Avenue Baptist Church, and members of Lakeside Baptist Church, who knew Nona over the years and journeyed through life with her. Your expressions of love, prayer, and fond memories are priceless to us as we celebrate her story. We want to particularly thank our extended family for all the experiences they have shared with Nona and us over the years. Boyce (Pete) and Jo Ann Lewis, and the respective families of Sheila, Sharon, Sherri, and Shirl. Carl and Jean Finch, and the respective families of Rene, Cary, and Gary. Bob (deceased) and Donna (Davis) Wilson, and the respective families of Cindy, Robert (deceased), and Greg. Nona is survived by husband Bob Davis, children Mark Davis and Ronda Wooley, grandchildren Courtney, Kendall, Kyle and Chris Davis, Rachel and Ryan Wooley, and a host of relatives and dear friends. Family Visitation will at Restland Funeral Home in Dallas on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 from 5:00-7:00. Burial ceremony will be on Thursday, December 12, 2013 at Restland Cemetery at 10:00 followed by a memorial service at Lakeside Baptist Church at 2:00.
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