Betty J. Davis

A visitation will be held December 1, 2025, from 4-6 pm. at The Runge Mortuary & Crematory, located at 838 E Kimberly Rd, in Davenport. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 10 am, at Legacy Church, located at 4823 Jersey Ridge Road, in Davenport. She will be laid to rest next to her husband Chuck Davis at the Rock Island National Cemetery, located on the Rock Island Arsenal. Memorials may be made to the family. Online condolences may be left at www.rungemortuary.com.

Betty was born on May 8, 1952, in Harlingen, Texas to Robert and Mary (Stauffer) Milem. She graduated from Davenport Central High School in 1971 and was united in holy matrimony to Chuck Davis on December 22, 1976. They enjoyed 15 years of marriage until his unexpected passing in 1992.

After Chuck completed his enlistment with the U.S. Navy, they returned to Davenport with their young son in tow and quickly began the search for a church home. They found Quint City Baptist Temple-now Legacy Church-and jumped into serving. They helped in the bus ministry together for 11 years, and Ms. Betty (as she was lovingly known) continued that ministry after Chuck’s home-going. She also served as the church’s unofficial greeter. She loved people, asking every detail about their lives and telling them how much Jesus loves them. It wasn’t a real Sunday experience if you didn’t get a compliment, handshake, or bulletin from Ms. Betty.

In the last few years, she used her greeting talent at Five Guys Burgers. There is no denying how much she enjoyed going to work and how upset she was when she had to miss it. The various people that she worked with made her feel safe enough to be her odd duck self, and she loved being there with them.

In her spare time, Ms. Betty loved showing off her creative side. For years, she created some crocheted item, be it baby blankets, a scarf, a hat that was always a little too small, or her snowflakes, and all of them she loved giving to others to make them feel special. She made it her mission one Christmas that she was going to make a bunch of baby blankets and hats for one of the missionaries at church. Ms. Betty’s love is internationally felt.

Another favorite pastime was watching her Chicago Cubs. As she put it, “I was born into it. I didn’t have a choice. My father would have the game on and yell at the radio.” She would often be found in her room watching the game, doing her diamond dots (think paint by number but with small gems), a craft introduced by a bonus daughter, and yelling at the phone when her Cubbies scored! The number of hours spent in her room with the Cubs on at her table doing her diamond dots is immeasurable. The joy she received when she shared her finished creations can’t truly be explained. One couldn’t stop at the house without getting an invitation to see her artwork, quickly followed by another invite to play a game, be it yahtzee, dominoes, or bingo. Her likes were few and simple, but that was Ms. Betty.

Her grandbabies visits were something she always looked forward to. She would always have one of her creative projects to give the girls. Her morning TV sessions with her sister Kathy, trying to decide whether it was a Perry Mason or Walker Texas Ranger day, were always entertaining as they still couldn’t remember who done it. The way she said “my puppy!” every

morning as her daughter left for work because Wrigley came to have snuggles on her bed was her favorite time of the day.

More than all of these things, Ms. Betty just loved her people. She had such an infectious love for people, and once you were in her orbit, there was no escaping it. In all the comments of her passing, one theme was prominent. She had a bright light. One couldn’t help but smile when seeing her because she was truly happy when she saw her people. Many a time, when leaving a conversation, she would turn around and tell whomever she was speaking to “you’re my adopted family.” She felt the love of Jesus all the time, and she tried her very best to share it with anyone she could. Even in her hospital stays, she was inviting people to church so they could feel the love of Jesus too.

She may be gone from this world in physical form, but there is no denying she left her imprint on all she touched. Whether it be a compliment to brighten your day, the sharing pictures of her latest projects, or the “Betty ready” way she hyped the worship team through the years, her impact was felt. If you had the privilege of knowing her, know that you are so very loved.

Those left to cherish her memory include her son John Davis; daughter Rebeccah Davis; granddaughters Serafina Davis and Angela Davis; sister Kathleen Milem; brother DJ Milem; mother-in-law Marilyn Davis; brothers-in-law Richard (Janie) Davis and Larry Davis; sister-in-law Diane (James) Webb; and nieces and nephews too numerous to count.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and many extended family members.