Arlene Helen Davis

Arlene Helen Davis, 97, of Prairie Village, KS, passed away peacefully on December 23, 2022. Arlene was born on August 8, 1925 in Bern, KS to William Bert and Zella (Brown) Parker. Soon after graduating

from Mankato High School, at the age of 17, she began working as a telegrapher for the Rock Island Railroad, following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather. She worked seven days a week in various towns, including a difficult "hot job" in Phillipsburg, KS, handing up train orders to speeding locomotives and dispatching train orders where time zones changed from Mountain to Central. A returning POW and rookie telegrapher in neighboring Goodland, Bill Davis, intimidated yet impressed by Arlene's Morse code skills, received special off-hour lessons from her. Bill often remarked that Arlene could telegraph circles around anyone else on the railroad. Tutoring turned into wired love notes lasting several months before the two actually met face-to-face. Eventually, the messages using their call signals "A" and "Z" grew more romantic and eventually led to 70 years of marriage. Everyone in the family shares the secret that "88" in Morse means love and kisses.

After raising her four daughters, Arlene rekindled her passion for oil painting, and many of her landscapes and portraits are treasured keepsakes in her children's homes. She devoted her life to taking care of her children, grandchildren, parents, and husband, and she welcomed everyone with an open heart and radiant smile. Arlene's self-effacing wit and kind-hearted simplicity drew others to her. She relished rocking babies, telling her railroad stories, and sharing her art. She was present and engaged, keeping track of every family member's adventures and challenges, remaining mentally sharp and focused on family until the end of her life. She met the physical challenges of recent years with a fierce determination to remain independent, and she could still manage to recite all the names of her 28 great-grandchildren, even in the final months of her life.

Arlene was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, and her daughter, Angela. She is survived by daughters Teresa (John) Merideth, St. Louis, MO, Gloria (Steve) Johnson, Prairie Village, KS, and Carole (Steve) Munns, Lenexa KS, and by 14 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.

Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at St. Ann Catholic Church, 7231 Mission Rd, Prairie Village, KS, on Friday, December 30, at 2 p.m. with burial immediately following at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Kansas City, MO. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Missouri Prairie Foundation: https://moprairie.org/

We extend our love and gratitude to the caring staff at Sunrise of Leawood and Ascend Hospice for their amazing and loving support of Arlene this past year.

88 A to Z

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mcgilleymidtownchapel.com for the Davis family.