Polly Jean Davis

Polly was born January 3, 1920, on a farm near Jamesport, Missouri, the second child of four born to Harry and Mary Elizabeth "Bess" Porterfield. The family moved to the Kansas City area in 1923 and lived for a number of years near the Plaza. As a child she enjoyed swimming and ice skating and earned her Golden Eaglet badge in Girl Scouts.

After graduating from Westport High School in 1937 she moved with her family to Merriam, Kansas, when her parents bought the Merriam Drug Store. During this time, she worked at the Chrysler Parts Depot in Kansas City and was courted by Victor A. Davis.

Shortly before World War II, Vic went to San Diego to work for Consolidated Aircraft. Polly joined him in 1942 when they married at the Methodist Church in Ocean Beach, Calif. After the war, Polly and Vic returned to Johnson County and made their home here for the balance of their lives. Vic owned and worked at C.W. Davis & Sons auto body shop with his father C.W., brother Les Davis and brother-in-law Don Curry.

Vic and Polly had three sons who survive her: Victor A. Davis, Jr. and his wife Joy; Bruce L. Davis and his wife Laura Bogue and Daniel M. Davis and his wife Marcia.

She was preceded in death by her husband Vic, her two brothers and sister and one grandson.

Polly was a lifelong mother and homemaker and an excellent cook - lemon meringue pie, chocolate chip cookies and gravy of any flavor were her specialties - and loved traveling all over the world after raising "my three sons."

Polly was a member of St. Mark's United Methodist Church, where she participated in United Methodist Women and, together with Vic, taught Sunday School for special-needs children for 20 years. Polly loved to read and never met a person she didn't like or couldn't relate to on some level. She lived on Johnson Drive in Merriam for 60 years until her death.

Polly is also survived by four granddaughters: Melissa Davis, Aimee Davis, Crisanda Benson-Davis and May Ann del Rosario; two grandsons Colin Benson-Davis and Robert del Rosario; four great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 20, 2013, at the Amos Family Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, June 21, 2013, at the funeral home.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 6422 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, Kansas, or to City Union Mission, 1100 E. 11th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, 64106.