Belle was born in Phoenix, Arizona to Nevelon Roce Strickland and Ruby M. (Webb) Strickland, on February 23, 1924. She will be so greatly missed by the very large family that she nurtured and cared so deeply about, and who loved her so dearly.
She was preceded in death by her first husband and father of her children, L.W. “Dude” Coffey. She later married James “Jim” Davidson, who treated her like a queen and was an amazing grandpa to all of her grandchildren. He also preceded her in death.
Belle is survived by her four daughters, Cheri Greenwade, Nancy Dake, Jan Long and Ronda Walpole, as well as 11 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren, her brother, Paul Strickland and her sister, Jackie Nida, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Each and every one of us looked up to her as the glue that held our family together. …Don’t worry Mom, we will continue to keep each other close, as you have always taught us.
Belle and her six siblings were orphaned at a young age and each of them were sent to different places to grow up. When they became adults, they located one another and raised their families to be close and to always be there for each other. Family was everything to them after their separation and they passed that value on to each and every one of us.
Belle’s maternal grandfather, Joseph Thomas Webb left the British West Indies (Jamaica) and settled in Phoenix in 1912, where he owned and operated a dairy farm on the SE corner of 24th Street and McDowell Road. He remained there until his death in 1967, at the age of 95.
Belle supported our country during WWII by helping to build airplanes. She was an honest to goodness, “Rosie the riveter”. She was generally tasked with the wings of the plane because as she liked to recall, “I was the smallest girl there and I could fit inside the wings to get the work done.” We have her to thank for her resolve and her guts and being willing to get her hands dirty to help our nation during a very difficult time. She was a tough little lady, but there was nothing small about her spirit.
Our family would like to offer our deep and sincere gratitude to Violeta and Mario Simes, of Valley Vista Home Care, LLC, for their wonderful and caring home that provided protection, comfort and comradery with the other residents of their small care center to our beautiful Belle. Especially during the last year and a half, during the covid-19 pandemic, they always made sure that we were able to keep in contact by phone and facetime so that she could remain close to us even when we couldn’t be together in person. We honestly cannot thank them enough for their kindness and humanity.
Services for Belle will be held on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 1:00 p.m., in the Chapel of Dignity Greenwood Memory Lawn, 719 N. 27th Avenue, Phoenix, Az. 85009.
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