Ms. Helen Gordon Davis

Ms. Helen Gordon Davis obituary, Tampa, FL

Ms. Helen Gordon Davis

Helen Davis Obituary

Published by TBO.com on May 20, 2015.
TAMPA – Helen Gordon Davis, the first Hillsborough County woman elected to the Florida Legislature and a champion of women's and minority rights for decades, died Monday of congestive heart failure. She was 88.


Known for her passion, poise, fearlessness and quick wit, the native New Yorker and one-time high school drama teacher was never afraid to speak out for those facing injustices. In the 1950s, she was one of the first white women to join the NAACP after she boarded a bus with her black housekeeper and found the housekeeper had to sit in the back. In the 1960s, she was one of two whites who joined black patrons at a Woolworth's lunch counter to help desegregate Tampa's public facilities.


Davis was elected to the state Legislature's House of Representatives in 1974 in an election few thought she could win. She was Jewish, married to a man who sold whiskey and known by many as the woman who modeled in Maas Bros. ads.


When she won, she quickly began tackling what she saw as institutionalized injustice for women, minorities and the poor. When the Legislature refused to study why women and minority state employees were paid less for the same job than white men, Davis began privately fundraising. The report that followed showed significant pay disparities and led to reforms.


Over the years, she sponsored a $25 million program to cut the state's dropout rate by working with 3- and 4-year-olds, a bill that changed Forida's alimony laws to give women credit for their years spent as homemakers and legislation to give paternity leave to new fathers employed by the state.


Late in her legislative career, Davis attracted much attention for what became known as the "potty parity'' bill - legislation to put more toilets in women's restrooms. When the Senate passed the bill, she thanked her mostly male colleagues in her inimitable way: "Thank you for standing up to allow women to sit down.''


Davis served in the state House from 1974 to 1988 before winning election to the state Senate. She lost her re-election bid four years later to Charlie Crist.


Davis never pictured herself raising a family on Davis Island but quickly found herself rising through the ranks of local civic organizations because "of the many changes she saw right away that needed to be made here," said her daughter, Stephanie Davis.


She felt led to be a voice not only for women, but for people of color, gays and lesbians and disenfranchised people from all walks of life, her daughter said. Yet her primary role was always as a doting mother, and so she waited until her three children had gone off to college to run for office.


"She was a mother who did not fit the stereotype of the typical homemaker raising children in the '50s," Stephanie Davis said. "She was a fierce warrior and a vanguard for social change who raised us all to be strong and independent and follow our own path."

Sign Helen Davis's Guest Book

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May 27, 2015

Judy posted to the memorial.

May 26, 2015

Derius Family posted to the memorial.

May 24, 2015

Christine Diaz posted to the memorial.

13 Entries

Judy

May 27, 2015

I was sorry to read about the loss of your loved one Helen. I can see in her life time she made many changes for the better for those who had been treated in justly. I would like to comfort all who knew her in knowing there will come a time wheen they can see her again. Please read Isiah 26:19

Derius Family

May 26, 2015

Ms. Helen will be remembered for her passion for people, family, and life. My condolences to her family and friends. Isaiah 40:1

Christine Diaz

May 24, 2015

Helen Gordon Davis was an advocate. She was a Change Agent. She was a consultant.
She was an Adviser. She was a Facilitator of indigenous support systems. She had a vision and fulfilled it. I will pray for all family members, especially her son Gordon Davis.
Shalom
Christine Diaz

Susan Bond

May 23, 2015

Helen was a good friend of my mother's and a fixture in the family's life. In the 60s my mother (Pat Bond), Helen, and a formidable group of League of Women Voters' colleagues were a kind of girl gang, the Liberal Housewives of Tampa, Florida for their era but with serious causes to their credit like integration and women's rights, instead of parities and vacations. Not that they didn't throw some good parties for the cause! Helen was an unusual combination of glamorous and sensitive, a little bit intimidating to a my young Quaker self, but always around in one way or another. I remember at fourteen going on a voter registration drive in South Tampa with Helen and her daughter Stephaniejust as glamorous as her motherbut there we all were trudging door-to-door registering voters on a Saturday morning. It is hard to imagine that she is not around anymore. I admired her tenacity and elegance, and continue to admire all that she accomplished in her life. My thoughts go out to her family: may they be comforted in the coming days by the love of family and friends and pride in having nurtured such a soul in their midst. May the Lord bless her and keep her and make his face to shine upon her and grant her peace (Num 6:2426).

Roberto Medina

May 22, 2015

Lorena and Gordon: my sincere condolences for this most remarkable woman. Un abrazo.

james nichols

May 21, 2015

Sally and i will miss Helen, we are very sad for all of you. Helen was very kind to us.

Matt Mellon

May 21, 2015

Gordon, I would like to express my sincere condolences to you and your family. Your mother was a remarkable person and always fun to be around. What a great MOM! I know my Grandmother, Catherine Mellon admired all that Helen did with women's league of voters.May peace and comfort find you and your family during this difficult time.

Jo Easton

May 21, 2015

As a Florida Senator Helen Gordon Davis was a champion for all. She dedicated her life and work to helping everyone. What a shining example she is to all those that followed in her foot steps. She will be sorely missed. May you RIP. Jo Easton, Tampa, Florida

Kay Sullivan

May 21, 2015

My father, the late Gardner W. Beckett, Jr., was a civil lawyer and the head of the Legal Panel of the Pinellas County Chapter of the ACLU until his death in 1993. He spoke with affection and admiration of Helen, both of whom were unwavering champions of civil liberties. So happy to have had the good fortunate to have had lunch with Helen and women's history writer and professor, Doris Weatherford, several years ago to learn further of the works Helen and Gardner shared. RIP. My sympathy to the family.

Sandy Mullins

May 20, 2015

R.I.P. Helen Gordon Davis you did real good! Thank you for your service to the people of Florida and women everywhere. It was hard to find support for ratification of the E.R.A. back in 1977 when I first came to Florida but there you were, along with Pat Frank, Betty Castor and Nancy Ford. It was your support and the work that we did that inspired the work that I ended up doing in California. The fight goes on and your work will be continued. We will elect a woman President of the United States and America WILL ratify the E.R.A.

SABRINA BASS

May 20, 2015

Helen,
May our Lord the Good Shepherd, Bless you for finishing your assignment. Job well done!

Mj Storey

May 20, 2015

A long time role model for so many. Her voice and her passions will continue to echo through the ages!

Marcia Radbill

May 19, 2015

Only an incredible woman of such accomplishments herself, could raise such a daughter in her footsteps as my neighbor Karen Davis. May love and cherished memories help support the Davis families and community at this time.

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Sign Helen Davis's Guest Book

Not sure what to say?

May 27, 2015

Judy posted to the memorial.

May 26, 2015

Derius Family posted to the memorial.

May 24, 2015

Christine Diaz posted to the memorial.