Helen Davis

Helen Davis was born on August 3, 1936, to the late Alfred Fenton and Minnie Marie (Jackson) Nicholas in Frank, West Virginia. Helen graduated from Elkins High School in 1956 and later attended Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.

On Sunday, September 7, 1958, Helen married the love of her life, the late Samuel Robert Davis. Three children were born from this union: Anthony, Myra, and William. As a U.S. Air Force family and newlywed, Helen moved to Tachikawa, Japan, with Sam, and it was there where Tony was born. As conflict arose in the region, the family went to Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Fairborn, Ohio; it was there that Myra was born. While Sam was serving in Vietnam, Helen raised her two children with the help of family and friends. After the Tet Offensive, Sam returned to Helen and the children, and then Billy came.

The family soon moved to Bitburg Air Force Base (Germany) and then deployed to Hancock Airfield in North Syracuse, New York. The family returned to Dayton, Ohio in 1977 when Sam retired from the Air Force and began his civilian career at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

Helen held several positions with the YWCA, DESC, and Bitburg Air Force Base Childcare Centers; she loved working with young children. Once settled into Sam's retirement, Helen worked and retired from Sears, Roebuck, and Co. after 16 years.

Helen loved the Lord with all her heart and ensured her children went to Sunday School and Church every Sunday. Helen was an active Wright Patterson Chapel 3 member, serving as an usher and later as the usher board secretary. After the beginning years of COVID-19, Helen later joined the Kingdom Purpose Church.

Helen loved all social events with her family and friends, especially family reunions; staying at a hotel was a rarity, either traveling or hosting, and she wanted everyone to stay under the same roof. Helen liked trying new restaurants where, at times, she would order dessert and then her meal. One thing for sure is that she was not leaving the restaurant without dessert.

Helen was very competitive - she bowled in leagues and played "Bid," Checkers, Spades (Joker, Joker, Deuce), solitaire, and crossword puzzles. Helen passed that spirit onto her children; playing and attending sporting events was the norm, and it became contentious when watching football with her divided household of Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers fanatics. The only agreement was for the Ohio State Buckeyes. When Helen could not be with her grandkids, she loved the frequent FaceTime chats and watching videos of their activities.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, aunts Mabel Rogers and Savannah Fagan, two brothers, Kenneth and Lawrence Nicholas, and four sisters, Frances Rucker, Lauria Nicholas, Elouise Gross, and Rowena Johnson.

Helen leaves to cherish her memory daughter Myra Davis, son William (Heather) Davis, bonus sons Derrick Smalls and Donald Fraizer, bonus daughter Candice Harris, sister Joanne Nicholas and two bonus sisters Mildred Smalls and Mary Weston, brothers Raymond and Alfred (Cindy) Nicholas, granddaughter Johnnalyn Davis, grandsons Avery Davis and Martez Channels, bonus grandson Kavon Armour, bonus granddaughter Farah Shook, and a host of other relatives and friends.