Elizabeth Eileen "Betty" Davidson

1932 - 2025

May 18, 1932 – April 25, 2025
Elizabeth "Betty" Eileen Davidson, 92, of Sweet Home passed away Friday, April 25, 2025. She was born May 18, 1932 in Powell River, British Columbia, Canada She was the third and youngest child to John Edward and Ethel May (Troxell) Arnold. John was a logger and built donkey sleighs. He and the family were in British Columbia, Canada when Betty was born. The family returned to their home in Lacomb, Oregon about 18 months after Betty's birth and she grew up in the Lacomb area and attended Lebanon Union High School.
Betty began work at an early age picking berries, vegetables and other crops grown in the area. At age 17 she began her first bookkeeping job at Mayflower Farms office in Lebanon. As a youth she worked for Sprouse-Ritz in Lebanon and later Groves Rexall Drug in Sweet Home. Betty's love of bookkeeping served her well! She worked as a bookkeeper at the Central Office for the Sweet Home School District #55 for 15 years. Her rapid 10-key was blazing fast! She moved to Barrow, Alaska and married Gerald Davidson. During their 9 years in Barrow she worked for Cape Smythe Air Service as bookkeeper. There were only two ways to get to Barrow, by airplane or by barge, (which only came twice a year), so working for the airline was a great asset! It also allowed her to travel including to London, England where she and Jerry got to see the Crown Jewels and Buckingham Palace.
After returning to Oregon, Betty worked as the bookkeeper for Blaine Belveal, machinist shop in Foster which became West Coast Industrial Systems.
Upon retirement Betty enjoyed tending to her flowers, visiting the Casino in Grand Ronde to play the dime machines and travel.
Betty is survived by her two children: son Michael Patrick Ryan, of Springfield, Katherine Eileen Thrash, of Sweet Home, grandchildren: Megan Stockwell (Kevin) of Klamath Falls, Trevor Ryan of Springfield, three great grandchildren, niece Barbara Knapton (Frank) British Columbia, Canada, niece Lisa Arnold of Los Angeles, CA, nephew Paul Arnold (Patty) of Georgia, cousin Susan Troxell of Poulsbo, WA. She was preceded in death by her parents: John E. and Ethel M. Arnold, husband of 43 years Gerald Neil Davidson, older brother Charles B. Arnold, sister Janet M. Arnold (Roner), her previous husband from1950-1977, Patrick D. Thrash.
Viewing will be 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Friday May 9th at Sweet Home Funeral Chapel. Graveside service will follow at 1:00 pm at Gilliland Cemetery. Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling arrangements. www.sweethomefuneral.com.