Beverly Jean Davis

Mrs. Davis was born August 10, 1928, in Reseda, California, to Gladys (Jones) & Harold Payne. The family moved back home to Newman, Illinois, in 1935. She started school at The Winkler School, finished at Newman Elementary, and graduated from Newman High School in 1946. In 1943, Jean joined the Gene Trimble Orchestra where she played the piano until 2004. During the beginning years with the orchestra, she met her future husband, Lyle Davis, who sang with the band. Jean and Lyle were married on June 17, 1950 and made their home in Newman, IL, until permanently moving to Valrico, FL, in 2004.

Mrs. Davis was a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she majored in piano, organ, and music education with a minor in French. She graduated in 1950 with a B.S. in Education and began her career teaching music in Villa Grove, Allerton, and the Newman school system where she taught fifth grade for two years in Newman, IL. She spent the rest of her career in Newman teaching High School French and Elementary Music, retiring from teaching in 1988.

Jean is survived by her husband of 66 years, Lyle Davis of Valrico, Florida; sons Dr. Jeffrey (Donna) Davis of Valrico, FL, and Neal (Jackie) Davis of Wichita, Kansas; grandchildren Jeremy (Brianne) Davis of St. Petersburg, FL, and Sarah Davis of Durham, NC; great-grandson Grayson Davis (Christopher) of Jacksonville, FL; and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents Gladys & Harold Payne; brothers William (Peg) Payne and John (Ester) Payne; grandsons Christopher Neal Davis (Jeff & Donna) and Andrew Steven Davis (Neal & Jackie); and a host of very loving friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation, P. O. Box 23827, Tampa, FL 33623-3827, or online at moffitt.org/give-back.

In Brandon, a memorial service will be held at New Hope United Methodist Church, 120 N. Knights Ave., Brandon, FL, on Saturday, September 17, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Jaime Westlake officiating. Stowers Funeral Home of Brandon, FL, will be handling the funeral arrangements.

In Newman, IL, a celebration of her life will be held at the Newman United Methodist Church on Saturday, October 15th at 10am. A graveside service will follow.