Dora “Toots” Davis., 94, a longtime Sapulpa resident, passed away on Saturday, April 24, 2021.
Known for her quick wit, she always had a smile on her face. She had an amazing work ethic and could out work most people half her age. Toots was endeared by her family and friends and always saw the best in people and treated everyone the same regardless of their worldly titles.
Toots was born May 2, 1926 in Milfay, Oklahoma, to John Harrison McAnulty and Lillian Beatrice Curdy McAnulty, she was the third of six children born to John and Lillian. She received her education in Kellyville Schools, graduating in 1944. She joined the U.S. Army and served in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) during World War II in Washington, D.C., until November, 1946.
She married Joe Davis August 29, 1947 in Sapulpa. She and Joe spent their early years traveling across the United States pipelining for the Williams Company. In 1962, they moved back to Sapulpa and built their home on West 81st Street where she resided until the time of her death.
Toots worked for over twenty-five years at Graebel Van Lines in Tulsa. She was a child of the depression and knew what it meant to pinch pennies, even when she did not have to. Up until a few short years ago, she was still mowing her own lawn and driving herself to Dallas to see her grandkids.
She always loved fishing, and she had many wonderful memories fishing off the banks of farm ponds and at the local lakes with her sisters Boots and Pauline and her brother Bill.
But most of all, her greatest joy was spending time with her two daughters, their husbands and all her grandchildren. Nothing brought her more happiness than enjoying time with her family. Toots was dearly loved and will be greatly missed by a host of nieces, nephews, friends and her entire family.
Toots was preceded in death by her husband Joe Hywell Davis, her parents John Harrison McAnulty and Lillian Beatrice Curdy McAnulty, two brothers J.D. McAnulty and Edward Glen “Bill” McAnulty, three sisters Imogene Linville and her husband Bill, Pauline Deason and her husband James and Freddie Ruth “Boots” Kirk and her husband David and two nephews Lee Ray Deason and Brian Jay Kirk.
She is survived by her daughters Linda Davis Thomas and her husband Mark of Tulsa, Connie Davis Malchi and her husband John, Sister in law Judy McAnulty, grandchildren Melissa “Missy” Malchi, Amanda “Mandy” Malchi McGrath and husband Ryan, all of Plano, TX, Scott Thomas and wife Grace of Dallas, Jay Thomas and wife Melissa of Denver, David Thomas and wife Yannick of Houston, and four wonderful great grandchildren, Jack, Reed, Luke and Kate.
A celebration of Toot’s life is planned for Thursday, April 29th at 2:00 PM, located at First United Methodist Church of Sapulpa and she will be laid to rest in Green Hill Cemetery in Sapulpa.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 28th at Smith Funeral Home from 6:00pm- 8:00pm
