Shirley Davidson Obituary

Shirley Mosser Davidson died from natural causes Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at Medicalodges in Eudora at the age of 86. She was born on July 8, 1930 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital to Vernon and Cecil Annis Mosser. She had one brother, Jean, and two half-siblings, Gary and Helen Lavern.

Shirley was born in Lawrence and grew up in the Fall Leaf and Linwood area. Her mother died when she was six years old, and Shirley lived in different homes in Fall Leaf and Linwood with her father and her grandparents. She attended school at Linwood and Eudora, and graduated from Lawrence High School in 1948. She then took college classes at the University of Kansas and Central Business College in Kansas City.

In January of 1950 Shirley met Melvin Davidson, and the two were engaged in March and married in August later that year. Shirley lived with Melvin on the Davidson farm, and they had three children, David in 1952, Russell in 1955 and Scott in 1962. She remained faithfully and happily married to Melvin for nearly sixty years until his death in 2010.

Shirley devoted her life to helping Melvin tend to the animals and crops on the farm, and also worked as the bookkeeper for the local Rural Water District for nearly twenty years. She was well known for being a passionate gardener and cook, and was active in the local community by visiting with friends and participating in the Happy Hour club . She was heavily involved as a member of the Linwood United Methodist Church, and taught Sunday school classes there for several years. She also played a large role in the Leavenworth County Fair and 4H, and helped judge entries in the gardening, cooking and canning competitions.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband Melvin and her sister Helen Lavern. She is survived by her three sons: David and his wife Kathy, Russell and his wife Kathy, and Scott and his wife Lauri; her grandchildren: Lindsay and her husband Nathan and their two children Landon and Piper, Shelley, and Spencer and his wife Katie; and her brothers Jean and his wife Nora, and Gary and his wife Nancy.

Visitation will be held at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home in Lawrence from 2-4 PM on Sunday, January 29. Funeral services will also be held at Rumsey-Yost on Monday, January 30 starting at 2:00 PM, and interment will take place at Mount Sidney Cemetery in Linwood following immediately after.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Linwood United Methodist Church, in care of the funeral home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044. Online condolences may be sent at rumsey-yost.com