Jefferson Lee Davis

Obituary Jefferson Lee Davis Jefferson Lee Davis was born in Booneville, Missouri on June 24, 1917 and passed on in Tacoma, Washington on January 18, 2007. The fifth of seven children born to Daniel and Mabell Davis, Jeff learned to love work on the family farm and carried that love through his life. Jeff left Booneville at the age of 16, at the depth of the great depression, to seek work on the Oklahoma-New York pipeline. Work in the oil industry led him to Los Angeles, where he enlisted in the Army prior to the outbreak of WWII. From the North African deserts, to the ports of India, to the Burma Road and finally in China, Jeff built and engineered in deserts and jungles. Returning from the war, Jeff married Phyllis McVittie, the sweetheart he had met at the USA during training at Fort Lewis. They settled in Tacoma, where Jeff was a founding partner in the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company. He retired from West Coast Grocery in February 1974. Retirement was never a time of leisure or idleness for Jeff. The farmer's son from Missouri had a life-long love of gardening and every year grew an abundance of produce. He helped friends with building projects, using his clever inventiveness to find frugal ways of getting the job done well. He actively participated in the lives of his grandchildren. Following a stroke, he worked his way back to full rehabilitation. Then took his determination to the YMCA where his enthusiasm, encouragement. And light-hearted love of life helped many overcome their own challenges. Jeff always enjoyed real satisfaction in a good day's work. He is survived by Phyllis his wife of sixty years; sons Michael (Katherine) and Philip; and grandchildren, Nikolet, Jonathan and Jeffery. The family will be holding private services and ask that in lieu of flowers donations may be made to the charity of your choice.