Benita Davis

     “Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Benita Davis, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

     Benita was born on July 11, 1924 at At home in a tent house in Glendale, Arizona. She was the daughter of Charley and Dolllie Parker. Her father called her "Sonny" for years because he wanted a boy. Raised in Arizona, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

     As a young girl, Benita was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Benita was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Benita was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Benita also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Benita was raised with three siblings. She had two brothers, Clifford and JB(John) and a younger sister, Lou Alice. Benita was constantly involved in activities with her family. Benita and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

     Benita enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Benita was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Benita was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She graduated from Chandler High School in 1941. Benita enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was English (Reading).

     Benita had a good disposition for the challenges of college. She always enjoyed reading, so all of those lengthy required reading assignments seemed to be less of a burden for her. In fact, Benita seemed to absorb and remember everything she read. Not all things came easily to Benita, however, and she found success by being a diligent and accurate person who would dig into a project and work through until it reached its completion. She was very thorough and labored long and hard in order to reach her goals. Her favorite course was Biology.

     Most folks would say that Benita was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Benita was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Benita best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Benita kept. While growing up, some of her best friends were Dorothy Jackson, Dwayne, Mariah. Later in life, she became friends with Fred and Evelyn, Pat and Joe Husk.

     Love can't be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Benita. On May 15, 1945 Benita married David Ralph Davis at At her cousins house of Bell, California. It was as if Benita naturally sensed her spouse's needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Benita disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

     Benita was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Benita was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Benita was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone's schedule. Benita was blessed with two children, two daughters Patricia and Janita Gail. They were also blessed with three grandchildren, Jason, Melissa and Patricia. And one great grand child Evan.

     If you gave Benita a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Benita was always on task. Without hesitation, Benita could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was medical assistant. She was employed for 11 years as a medical assistant. During that time, Benita excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Benita was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Benita had at true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

     Benita liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Benita's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Benita preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were sewing, knitting, crocheting, cooking and reading. Benita was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes.

     While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Benita often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was like that with sports. In high school, Benita played tennis. She also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were ANGELS BASEBALL !

     An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, her faith was important to Benita. Her compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in her personal beliefs. She was a member for 6 years in Phoenix, Arizona Baptist Church and 25 years at First Missionary Baptist Church in Bellflower, California.

     Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Benita had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included a family trip to Hawaii with her mother and family and a cruise to Alaska with her grand kids and great grand kids.

     Benita had Lady, a silver toy poodle, who was her best friend for 6 years. Her family was rounded out by her two dogs Blondie, Ginger and Ching-toy. Benita was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.

     When Benita's retirement finally arrived in 1980, she was well prepared. She had taken the time to learn about her various options and chose her course wisely. Her new life involved staying in Bellflower to help take care of her grandchildren. In retirement, she found new pleasure in traveling, time with family and church. Even in retirement, Benita continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered her.

     Benita passed away on June 28, 2009 at her home in Bellflower. Of 52 years. She suffered from Congestive Heart Failure. She is survived by her daughter, Janita Gail, grandchildren, Jason,Melissa and Patricia, great grandchildren,Emily, and kaley,her brother JB(John) Parker and sister Lou Alice Murray. Services were held at Whites Funeral Home. Benita was laid to rest in Rose Hills Memorial Park Whittier, California.

     It is said that some people can't see the forest for the trees. Benita was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Benita was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Benita Davis was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Benita. She will be missed.