Juanita Melba Davis

Wichita- Davis, Juanita Melba (Lawrence) passed peacefully from this world at 12:01 pm, Saturday, April 1st, 2017 at Harry Hines Hospice with family. Born in Belle Plaine, KS, in 1936 she lived a vibrant life as a disciple of Jesus. Daughter of Ulysses Andrew (Larry) Lawrence and Carrie Melba (Lawless) she was known for her Christian character, her oratory and acting skills, her strong beautiful voice and for being a good and faithful friend and encourager. Graduating from Belle Plaine high school in 1954 and Harding College in Searcy, AR in 1960, she married Darrel Eugene Davis. After divorcing, Juanita earned her Master’s in Guidance and Counseling from Kansas State University while teaching English, speech and journalism at Manhattan Junior High. Moving to Wichita, she served as a middle school counselor in the Derby School System for 15 years. In 1988 she moved to Orlando to work in the church with her son Brent and counseled for another 15 years. She retired to Wichita to be near her son Brian and family in 2005. She has been very active in her church her entire life, helping many people come to Christ and change their lives for the better, and in civic matters by financially supporting causes and writing letters to the editor. She loves her grandkids and family and her cat Allie. She was preceded in death by her parents a brother, Gerald Lawrence, and sister, Carol Nadine Lawrence, and is survived by two brothers her 3 sons, their wives and 6 grandchildren: Orville Leland and Rosemary Lawrence of Weatherford, OK; Paul Aldon and Brenda Lawrence of Cotopaxi, CO; Brent Thomas and Tinka (Christopher Lawrence and Catherine Sophia) Davis of Wichita, KS; and Brian Lane and Lori (Grace Elizabeth, Alexander Franklin, Julia Marie) Davis of Goddard, KS, and, by marriage, Kelly Darrel and Bky (Sierra) Davis of Hector, AR. Visitation and viewing will be held at Hillside Funeral Home West, 2929 W 13th, Wichita, KS from 4-7 Thursday April 6th and Services will be held at the Belle Plaine United Methodist Church, 124 E 10th Avenue, Belle Plaine, KS-- Friday, April 7; Viewing 10:30 a.m., Memorial Celebration 11:30 a.m.. Lunch at 1 p.m. at Belle Plaine Church of Christ, 932 N Foulk Drive. Cemetery Service at 2:30 p.m., Belle Plaine Cemetery across from Bartlett Arboretum.