Doris Jane Davanay Williams, 101, passed away December 12, 2018, in Houston, Texas, with her daughter at her side. Doris was born in Santa Anna, Coleman County, to Eva Henderson and Robert Hugh Davanay. Her family moved from West Texas to Baytown where she grew up.
She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1940 with a degree in Business Administration, and remained a loyal Texas-Ex to the end. She loved her football – especially her Longhorns – and was so proud of her brick at the Alumni Center directly across from Texas Memorial Stadium, recognizing her and her daughter’s graduation dates. During WWII she worked tirelessly, day and night, in the accounting/shipping departments at the Humble Oil refinery in Baytown. The managed the shipping of small containers of oil on small boats, often clandestinely, for the war effort. She truly was one of the women who helped win the war. There she met the love of her life, W. Everett Williams, from Barbers Hill, TX. Their love grew after he returned from serving in the Pacific, and they married on December 23, 1946. She continued to work while he completed his accounting degree at the U of H. A few years after the birth of their daughter, Kathy Sue in 1953, the family traveled the country on auditing staff of Shell Oil. Ultimately they were transferred back to Houston where Doris happily lived the rest of her life.
Taking care of her beloved Everett and Kathy, and enjoying her extended families, was Doris’ joy. She nurtured Kathy’s love of music, and was the most wonderful troop leader for Kathy’s Girl Scout troop, from Brownies to Seniors. Although fishing wasn’t her thing, she loved camping (in a camper – NOT on the ground) and cooking up Everett and Kathy’s catches. When they didn’t catch fish, she called it an outing. She loved their travels across the US and Canada with poodle Jody. After Everett passed, she took several cruises with Kathy and others. She never met a stranger! Along the way she took up china painting and became a renowned china painter and porcelain artist. She served as an officer of the Houston club and State Federation of Texas Porcelain Art Clubs. She loved teaching painting and sharing her work with friends, family, and other painters. In 2011, she had was inducted as an honorary member of Phi Beta Professional Fraternity.
Ms. Doris, Aunt Jane, Aunt Doris … was kind and generous; she loved life fiercely, and always said that loving family, being happy, and having fun was what mattered most. She’ll be missed by all whose lives she touched, but, oh my, what memories will remain. She left us quickly and gracefully, and now is at peace with her adoring Everett, her parents and brothers, and dear nieces, “second daughter” Shirley and Wanda, and nephew Tony who left us way too soon. Caregivers from At Your Side kept her healthy and happy in her last years, for which she was so grateful.
Doris is survived by daughter Kathy and her husband Bob Sanger, of San Diego, CA, and many loving nieces and nephews, godchildren, and their children. She's also survived by brother-in law, Paul Williams, and sisters-in-law, Maydell Williams Brill, Bethul Williams, and Mignon Milby.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, December 19, 2018, from 6pm to 8pm at Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home, 4525 Bissonnet St., Bellaire, TX 77401. The family will gather later for a private interment at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Baytown. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Doris to Meals on Wheels (www.erjcchouston.org) or Impact Houston Church of Christ (impacthoustonchurch.org).
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