Dorothy Aleene Davis
November 29, 2012
Dorothy Aleene Davis, 92, passed away Thursday, November 29, 2012, at Iowa Lutheran Hospital of aspirated pneumonia. She was born October 24, 1920, in Los Angeles, California, of parents Florence and George Davis, and lived with them until 1991. Although she was handicapped at birth with several physical problems, she never allowed herself to be kept from living life to the fullest.
Both her parents had passed by 1991, and she met a new neighbor, Gloria Coverdell. They became fast friends and Dorothy was introduced to traveling at the age of 71. She took to it like the proverbial duck. She visited Canada, China, Australia, Europe, and places in the U.S.
In 2006 Gloria needed to return to Des Moines to help take care of a member of her family. Dorothy moved back with her and her “second family” welcomed her with loving hearts. She brought joy to everyone who met her. She was kind, sweet-natured, was pure of heart, and had a child’s curiosity of life. When pleased or delighted, she clapped her hands and gave out with an infectious giggle that started us all laughing. Besides traveling, she was a veracious reader and a fervent fan of baseball and card playing. Not one to be held back by age, Dorothy was able to enjoy one last trip to the Grand Canyon several months before her unexpected death.
Dorothy will be buried next to her mother and father at the Forest Lawn Cemetery (Hollywood Hills) on Thursday, December 6, 2012. A private graveside gathering is planned. She is survived by her cousins, Bettie M. Gates and Byron Wilburn in California.
A private memorial is planned for Dorothy in Des Moines on December 9, 2012. She is survived by her “second family”: loving friend and caregiver, Gloria Coverdell; “cousins” Michael and JoAnn Humphreys and family, Steven Humphreys; Tracy and Jim Alitz and family; and Lisa Rouh and family; “auntie” Amelia Humphreys; and close friends, Christa and Merlyn Wetzler.