Ms Dorothy J. (Spencer) Davis

August 31, 1926 - February 20, 2018

In Valentine, Nebraska, Dorothy Jean Spencer was born on August 31, 1926 to Flossie Pauline (King) and Morris William Spencer. She joined sisters Naoma and Iona Fern. Later siblings included Betty Ann, Bobby, Joyce, and Beverly. She attended elementary grades at schools in and near Sparks, Nebraska. She received her eighth grade diploma on May 25, 1940. She attended Sparks High School through her sophomore year and then finished at Valentine High School in Valentine, Nebraska, and graduated on May 18, 1944. After attending the Normal Training Course she received a Nebraska Third Grade Elementary teaching certificate from the State of Nebraska Department of Public Instruction on March 2, 1945. With this certificate, she received a three month teaching contract with school district 149 in Cherry County with a monthly salary of $100.00. In June of 1945, she signed a second contract with the same district, but this was an eight month contract with a monthly payment of $115.00 per month. She married Morris Albert Harmon in Chadron, Nebraska, on January 3, 1949. She and her husband were baptized in the Grace Episcopal Church in Rushville, Nebraska, on June 25, 1950. They were later confirmed in the same church on May 23, 1954. Morris and Dorothy were divorced on September 1, 1960. Dorothy married Glyde Davis, Jr., in O'Neill, Nebraska, on September 3, 1965, and they separated in the fall of 1967. Dorothy J. Davis had eight children; Pati Luanne, Paula Delphine, James Morris, Billy Eugene, Janet Cherie, Bobby Brian, Richard Timothy, and Ronnie Lynn. She was a woman who took great pride in working as a waitress and barmaid. In Chadron, she loved working at a place called Calecino's which was located just east of Chadron. In Othello, Washington, she worked at Freddie's Chinese and American Restaurant. In Connell, Washington, she worked at the Golden Harvest Café and Lounge. In Bassett, Nebraska, she worked at the Kozy Café, Vawser's Bar and Lounge, as well as the American Legion Club and Range Café. She had short term jobs in Ainsworth and at Hidden Paradise in Long Pine. She was probably most well known for her support of the young people of Bassett, Nebraska. She received many awards from the junior and senior high schools for her unending support of the young athletes. She attended countless athletic contests, served on the Inter-Faith youth group, and worked at the baseball concession stand. She did not stop following the Bassett athletes when her own children graduated. She "adopted" everyone else's kids as her own. She was well-known to host entire teams for homemade pizza at her house. As a single parent, perhaps her greatest achievement was sacrificing her own chances at a comfortable life in order to keep her children with her. In spite of a significant lack of money, she swallowed her pride in many ways to find a way to raise her eight children. If there was ever one thing that she loved more than anything else, it was her children and anyone else's children. Dorothy was preceded in death by her father, Morris William Spencer and mother Flossie Pauline, brother, Bobby Shepard and sisters Naoma Polen, Fern Rama, Betty Ann Balfany, and Joyce Merchen. She is survived by sister Beverly Paxton of Caldwell, Idaho; children Pati of Taos, New Mexico, Paula of Santa Fe, New Mexico, James and wife Jaci of Atkinson, Billy and wife Jeanna of Bassett, Janet of Thornton, Colorado, Brian of Ainsworth, Nebraska, Richard and wife Mary of Columbus, Nebraska, and Ronnie and wife Kelly of Lincoln, Nebraska; 19 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, 2-great-great-grandchildren and nieces, nephews, and cousins. Funeral services were held at the St. Peter Lutheran Church in Bassett, Nebraska with Father Randy Goeke officiating the service. Music was provided by Faye Smith. Congregational hymns provided were "How Great Thou Art," "Amazing Grace," "In The Garden," "The Old Rugged Cross," and "Morning Has Broken." Pallbearers were, Tyler Davis, James Harmon, Kolton Davis, Nicholas Chenault, Jace Paopao, Tim Martinson, and Matt Robison. Honorary bearers were all of Dorothy's other grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Burial followed at the Mount Hope Cemetery at Valentine, Nebraska under the direction of Hoch Funeral Home of Bassett. In lieu of flowers/Memorials were suggested to the Dorothy J. Davis RCHS Foundation Scholarship Fund, the St. Mary's Episcopal Church, or to the Rock County Long Term Care. Funeral services were held at the St. Peter Lutheran Church in Bassett, Nebraska with Father Randy Goeke officiating the service. Music was provided by Faye Smith. Congregational hymns provided were "How Great Thou Art," "Amazing Grace," "In The Garden," "The Old Rugged Cross," and "Morning Has Broken." Pallbearers were, Tyler Davis, James Harmon, Kolton Davis, Nicholas Chenault, Jace Paopao, Tim Martinson, and Matt Robison. Honorary bearers were all of Dorothy's other grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Burial followed at the Mount Hope Cemetery at Valentine, Nebraska under the direction of Hoch Funeral Home of Bassett. In lieu of flowers/Memorials were suggested to the Dorothy J. Davis RCHS Foundation Scholarship Fund, the St. Mary's Episcopal Church, or to the Rock County Long Term Care.