Barbara Johnita Barlow Davis and her twin sister, Eva Janette, were born in Sabine Pass, TX on September 21, 1939 to Mitchell Cornelius Barlow and Eunice Vitalee Delahoussaye Barlow. Barbara passed away on April 12, 2018 in Lake Jackson, TX.
Barbara graduated from Jack Yates High School in Houston in 1956 and Texas Southern University in 1959. At TSU, she pledged the Gamma Psi chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. With her degree she became a licensed Medical Laboratory Technologist, a certification she actively maintained until her retirement in 1988. Barbara initially worked at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont, TX, where she met her lifelong love, Lem Davis, Jr. They were married on January 9, 1960. Barbara and Lem lived in Lawrence, KS until 1961, then relocated to Washington, DC, where she worked at the Infectious Disease Institute of the National Institutes of Health. In 1964, they moved to Lake Jackson, TX to be near family, and resided there until her death.
After moving to Lake Jackson, Barbara worked in Dr. Cook’s and Dr. Stork’s pediatric office. She then took responsibility to open and manage the laboratory when the Angleton - Danbury General Hospital opened. She also oversaw labs at the Doctor’s Hospital in Houston and the Texas Department of Corrections Darrington Unit in Rosharon, from which she retired.
As the first African American residents of Lake Jackson, Barbara and Lem paved a path in history for their children and grandchildren to follow. Although they faced incidents of rock throwing, cross burning and physical violence, they raised their children to follow the tenet of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to judge people not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
Barbara (“Granny” to her grandchildren and “Tutta” to her close family) was well known for a number of sayings with which her children, grandchildren, friends and family were very familiar. Among these were, “Can’t never could and never will!” “You can do anything you set your mind to!” “You better skin that cat again!” and “I don’t care where you go to college, but you’re going to college!”
The child of two lifelong educators, Barbara had a passion for reading and learning. She often read four or more novels in a week. She also loved to cook, shop, travel and spend time with her grandchildren.
Barbara was preceded in death by her twin sister Eva Janette Barlow, sister Roxey Marie Barlow, parents, brothers Gary Barlow and Benjamin Barlow, and sister Harriett Barlow Allen.
She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved husband of 58 years, Lem Davis, Jr.; children Johnita Davis Jones (Bill) of Austin, Brian Keith Davis (Stephaney) of Sugar Land, Cheryl Davis Fitzgerald (Daryl) of Fairfax, VA; grandchildren Cameron Davis Jones (Shannon), Katherine Johnita Jones, Yvette Danielle Fitzgerald, Carson Mitchell Jones, Jackson Chase Davis, Alexander Lem Davis, Rebecca Brianne Davis, and Jordan Delaney Fitzgerald. She is also survived by her sisters Mildred “Candy” Barlow Espree (Rene) of Channelview and Cleopatra Barlow Young of Washington, DC, numerous nieces and nephews, and a host of other family and friends.
