Donnie Evelyn Davis

IN LOVING MEMORY OF DONNIE EVELYN DAVIS

“Forever in our hearts”

Donnie Evelyn Davis, affectionately called “Blute” by her family and “Aunt Donnie” by many, began her eternal life with the Lord on March 2, 2021. Donnie was born in Seven Springs, North Carolina, on July 27, 1926, daughter to the late Luby and Exerline Davis. She was the 5th of seven children and grew up in Smithfield, North Carolina. 

Donnie graduated from Johnston County Training School (now, Johnston Central High School)in Smithfield and received her nurses training in Durham, North Carolina at Lincoln Hospital which was affiliated with Duke University.  At age 24, she moved to Chicago and began working at Michael Reese Hospital where she stayed for one year.  She then moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where she met a family and began to go to Mass with them.  Soon realizing that the Catholic Faith had been what she was looking for, she began practicing the Catholic Faith.  She was a faithful member of St. James Catholic Church, in Chicago for over 60 years.  Donnie summed up her faith in this way:  “If God gives me the health and strength and wakes me up in the morning, the least I can do is go to Mass every Sunday”.

When Donnie returned to Chicago, she worked as Assistant Supervisor in the operating room at Michael Reese Hospital.  Later she continued her nursing career at the West Side Veterans Hospital (now, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center), as Operating Room Registered Nurse, until she retired in 1990.

Aunt Donnie thoroughly enjoyed her nursing career, traveling, shopping, dancing, eating “Exotic” foods and down home cooking (especially fish), and spending time with her family and friends.  She especially enjoyed raising her niece Donna Davis-McCormick from the time she was 3 ½ years old, until grown and Donna has been a loving daughter to her.  Donnie was a faithful servant to many; Loving, Loyal, Trustworthy and Supportive. To meet her was to know she was a strong, dedicated woman who loved deeply and strongly. Her family was everything to her.  She often affectionately called her nephews “Champ”.

In addition to her parents, Donnie is preceded in death by her brothers, Remus Lee Davis, Luby Herman Davis, and Willie C. Davis; her sisters, Verna Belle Davis, Katie Mae Nichols, and sister-in-law, Virginia J. Davis; her nieces Dorothy Blake and Annie Mae Mason; and her nephews, Charles Nichols, John Henry Nichols, Norman Nichols, Percy L. Davis and Zachary Davis. She leaves to cherish in loving memory, her baby brother Clarence D. Davis (Laura), of Chicago, IL; Donna Davis-McCormick and her sons Christopher and Bryce, of Snellville, GA;her nephews, William C. Davis (Priscilla), of Wilmington, NC, Larue Davis, of Wilmington, NC., Joseph Nichols (JoAnne) of Goldsboro, NC,  Aaron Nichols (Christean) of Baltimore, MD, Stanley Nichols (Seleta), of Waldorf, MD and Benjamin Davis, of Smithfield, NC; her nieces, Carolyn Clark (Leo) of Chicago, IL, Jackie Ellis (James Jr.) of Durham, NC, Phyllis Davis, of Smithfield, NC, Peggy Smith (Jerry) of Landover, MD, Chalsea Hutchinson (Larry) of Reston, VA , Dianne Battle (James) of Kenly, NC, Tara Woodson (Rod) of Chicago, IL; an honorary niece, Karen Ayers (Marshall), of Fayetteville, GA;  and a host of other nieces, nephews and relatives and friends. Arrangements by Byrd and Flanigan Crematory & Funeral Service, Lawrenceville. 770-962-2200.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The family of Donnie Evelyn Davis wishes to express our most heartfelt appreciation for your prayers, expressions of love, cards, flowers and calls of strength and support. We will always cherish your kindness and may each of you be blessed by the Lord with the same warmth and joy that you have given us.

The Davis Family

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