Obituary: Davis, Irene Margaret
Age 94
She was devoted to her four children who were blessed to spend the last hours of her life on April 20, 2015, gathered around her in her home of nearly 60 years.
That home was a welcoming place as Irene had the gift of hospitality and loved to cook.
The Davis house was the place everyone gathered for holidays, birthdays, graduation parties and wedding receptions.
Born Irene Margaret Reichert in Sandpoint, Idaho on October 19, 1920, she lived most of her life in Spokane and was a graduate of Lewis & Clark High School.
She married Stuart V. Davis in 1942 and traveled with him as he completed his Army training before he left to serve in WWII.
After the war they made their home in Spokane where they raised their four children.
Irene was the quintessential homemaker.
She was president of the PTA, a Girl Scout Leader, sewed clothes for her children, and was a great friend to the people in her neighborhood.
She organized a monthly pinochle group consisting of twelve women that continued until the members were in their 80s.
Later, although she had no work experience except helping her dad in his grocery store and working as a car hop after graduation, she purchased the lunch counter in the Bolero Bowling Alley and was amazingly successful.
She served the “merchant lunch” of meat, potatoes, vegetable, roll and coffee for .78 cents.
Through the years, she ran many small restaurants and retired after managing the lunch counter, Under the Clock, at the Crescent for thirteen years.
After 52 years of marriage, Stu passed away and Irene independently managed her home for another 21 years.
She enjoyed gardening, and the beauty of her yard caused people to stop and comment on her flowers.
She was a life member of Beta Sigma Phi, having joined in 1973.
She was an active, Torchbearer degree member of Alpha Mu Master.
Her sisters in Beta remember her as a wonderful friend and a dear woman.
Irene was preceded in death by her parents, husband and brothers.
She is survived by her four children, Raeann (Gordon) Decker, Ginny Parker, Cap Davis and Rick (Dixie) Davis; ten grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers the family asks donations to be made, in memory of Irene, to Alpha Mu Master’s service project: CASA PARTNERS, PO Box 8158, Spokane WA 99203-0158.
Irene was a “can-do woman” who lived a full life and will be remembered fondly and deeply missed.
A Celebration of Her Life will be held on Monday, May 4, 2015 at 1:00 pm.
at First Presbyterian Church, 318 S Cedar Street, Spokane, WA 99201.