Lorraine L. Davis' Obituary
LORAINE DAVIS
Loraine Lilligard Davis was born on September 19, 1919 in Grafton, North Dakota. She was the oldest of the four daughters of Conrad and Ida Johnson Lilligard. She met her future husband Jackson C. Davis in 1943 in Grand Forks when she was helping manage her father’s grain brokerage business. He was an agent with the FBI at that time. Their first child, Jeff, was born shortly after her husband was deployed overseas in the Phillipine Campaign while in the U.S. Army. Shortly after the war the family relocated back to Oakland, (where Mr. Davis had grown up and would begin his law practive). The family moved to Walnut Creek and then, shortly afterwards, to Lafayette in 1952. Mrs. Davis became a more than full-time housewife, with her hands full raising a household of five rambunctious boys. Associated with them over the years came a managerie that would include a couple of dogs and cats, a pair of chipmunks, a cockatiel, a flock of pigeons, a pondfull of goldfish and even a chicken or two. In spite of all the challenges of motherhood, she never lost her sense of humor. Her family was well known in Lafayette during the 60’s and early seventies largely due to the participation of her sons, which she encouraged, in school activites, sports and boy scouts. In 1972 her husband Jackson C. Davis was appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan to the Contra Costa Superior Court in Martinez.
When her marriage ended in 1975 and with her nest empty, she sold her home in Lafayette’s Upper Happy Valley and moved to the Watergate Condominiums in Emeryville. Here she became busy in Watergate social activities. Her condo, overlooking the San Francsico Bay, replaced the Lafayette locus for her family which would grow to include six grandchildren, a great-grandaughter as well as the other children of her daughters-in-law. She took great pride in following their accomplishments.
Loraine Davis is survived by her sons Jeffrey Davis, Craig Davis, Mark Davis, Scott Davis, and Daniel Davis; her niece Connie West; her nephew, Paul Hanna her grandchildren Amy Davis, Rafael Davis, Michael Davis, Chris Davis, Laura Davis, Dixie Davis; and her great-grandaughter Mia Davis.
Memorial services for Loraine Davis will be held at 1:00 pm on Sunday, January 31 at Chapel of the Chimes.
A reception will follow after the service at Chapel of the Chimes Funeral Home from 2:00pm- 5:00pm
What’s your fondest memory of Lorraine?
What’s a lesson you learned from Lorraine?
Share a story where Lorraine's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Lorraine you’ll never forget.
How did Lorraine make you smile?