Rose Davis

May 11, 1919 – June 20, 2017

If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.

- Rachel Wolchin

Rose Ann Davis passed away on June 20, 2017, with her daughter, Sharon, and son-in-law, Ken, at her side. She is at peaceful rest now, God having taken her gently by the hand to end her long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and reunite her with loved ones that reached Heaven before her.

Born and raised in Humboldt, Nebraska, Rose was the youngest of nine children. She met and fell in love with Joe Davis while living in Colorado, where he was stationed with the United States Army. They married in 1941 and were blessed with four children, Jo Ann, Sharon, Jimmy and Kathy. Joe’s career in the Army led them to live in various US cities and abroad. Life as a military wife, with its regular moves, fed Rose’s sense of wanderlust and her love of experiencing new places. The family returned to Fort Benning, Georgia in 1963 and ultimately settled in Columbus for several years, through and following Joe’s retirement from the Army. In retirement years, Rose and Joe enjoyed living in Marietta and in Pine Mountain, drawn to the latter by their love of nearby Callaway Gardens. For the last 13 years of her life, Rose lived in Bakersfield, California. Although she lived in so many different places during her life, Georgia was Rose’s true home.

In her more active years, Rose loved to feed her roving nature by walking. She and Joe explored the places to which they moved or visited by setting out on foot for hours on end. For many years, their walking venue of choice was the beautiful grounds of Callaway Gardens, a place very near and dear to their hearts. It was there that Rose developed another love – watching for and spotting deer. It was the love of Callaway Gardens that ultimately enticed Rose and Joe to move to beautiful and serene Pine Mountain.

Rose is preceded in death by her parents, John and Anna Kostecka; her four brothers and four sisters; her beloved husband of 51 years, Joe Davis; her son James (“Jimmy”) Davis; and her daughter, Kathryn (“Kathy”) Lindlief. She is survived by many who loved her: daughter Jo Ann Smith (Edward); daughter and caretaker Sharon Hersh (Ken); grandchildren Debbie Grimm (Brian), Michelle McGeeney (Michael), Heather Gilhooly (Patrick), Christopher Lindlief, Chad Davis, Scott Davis, and James Davis, Jr.; ten great-grandchildren; and several loving nieces and nephews.

Rose will be remembered as a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother (“Nanny”), daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

The family wishes to thank the wonderful nurses of Optimal Hospice Care of Bakersfield, California for their loving care of Rose in her final months of life, as well as their skilled, compassionate guidance for Sharon and Ken during those months. A special thank you to the caregivers and staff of Pacifica Senior Living in Bakersfield, where Rose had resided since 2004, for bringing kindness and humor to the sunset years of her life.

Services will be held at the Fort Benning Main Post Cemetery on July 11 at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Rose’s name to Optimal Hospice Foundation, 1315 Boughton Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308, or to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org).

Arrangements under the direction of Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, Columbus, GA.