Sheila Davis

1953 - 2026

Feb 22, 1953 - Jan 17, 2026

Sheila Davis- age 72 of Independence, Mo, passed away Saturday night, January 17, 2026 at StoneBridge Senior Living in Chillicothe, MO. She was a teacher and a longtime journalist. She was a mother, a daughter, a sister and an aunt. She was a good and loyal friend to many.

Sheila Irene Davis was born Feb. 22, 1953 in Cameron, Mo., to Shyrlee (Shaffner) and Wallace Carter. In 1956, Shyrlee married Samuel Davis, and he adopted Sheila.

In 1963, the family moved to Fairport, Mo., and Sheila graduated from the eighth grade in 1967. She attended high school in Maysville, Mo., and graduated in 1971. She attended Northwest Missouri State University In Maryville, Mo., where she was an RA, was a Union Board member and worked on the newspaper and yearbook. She graduated in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in English and Journalism.

She taught English and Journalism at the high school in Platte City before continuing her education at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, where she earned a master's degree. Part of that work was spending one semester at the National Press Building in Washington, D.C.

She worked at the newspaper in Greenville, S.C., before returning to Missouri to work at The Blue Springs Examiner. She became managing editor of its sister paper, The Examiner, in Independence, Mo., in 1983. In 1993, she left The Examiner and worked at the public library in Chillicothe but returned to The Examiner in 1996. In her years at The Examiners, she helped direct a staff at both daily newspapers that at times had more than 25 people, and she worked on the daily editing and production of the newspaper. She was executive editor for several years and retired in 2018. She was a consistently calm and steady voice in the newsroom.

She was preceded in death by her fathers, Wallace Carter and Samuel Davis, a cousin, Kenneth Davis Jr., and a nephew, Clay Grooms.

She is survived by her mother, Shyrlee Davis; her son Conor Davis; her siblings Don (Michaele) Davis, Susan (William) Davis, and Dean (Kelly) Davis; nephews and nieces Shane (Len) Grooms, Brandon (Alissa) Davis, Shaen Rooney, Katie Rooney, Kylee (David) Soucie, Misty (David) Sampsel, Tracy (Shawn) Kralicek, Scott (Heather) Davis, Sam Davis, Blake Davis, Lacey Parker, Blake Adams; numerous great-nieces and great-nephews, great-great-nieces and nephews; dear cousins, Pat (Gary) Ormsby, Harold "Tom" (Melody) Allen, Rebecca Allen -Flint, Joyce Shirk and Marsha Forge; and close friends Jeff (Linda) Fox, Rae and Stu Jenkins, Pat and Randall Bray, Larry and Kristie Schmitz and Forrest Martin.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions are suggested to Disabled American Veterans (DAV), in care of the funeral home. A graveside service celebrating Sheila's life will be held Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 1:00 PM at Lathrop Cemetery in Lathrop, MO. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at Stith Funeral Home in Lathrop, MO. Arrangements entrusted to the care and direction of Stith Funeral Home in Lathrop (816) 740-4658. Online guestbook at www.stithfamilyfunerals.com