THE ADVENTURES AND MISADVENTURES OF MARY FRANCES KINNEY DAVISON
On April 4, 1918 I was born in Des Moines, IA. My father's work for the Rock Island RR took us to Joliet, IL and eventually Cedar Rapids., IA where I finished high school and matriculated at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. That first year I lived with my Aunt and helped her with her children for my room and board. The second year I went through Rush week, pledged Phi Mu and moved into the Phi Mu house. There weren't many women in the School of Journalism in those days but two others in our house were in the 5 year Journ Program so I felt very comfortable there even though I missed some sorority activities because of work at the Daily Iowan and another part time job at Sears. Our house stayed open year round because so many went to summer school. A number of Phi Mus teaching came back every summer for graduate school classes and some of us working part time while going to school would stay on a part of the summer. This all came to an abrupt end during semester finals in February 1941 when I got a telegram from the Navy Department in Washington DC offering me a job. Because there were still Depression years (we'd never known anything else) and three siblings were in college or expecting to go within a couple of years, I determined I better take this job at twice the pay journalists were getting on our home town paper…I could always work into journalism later. Within a week I was at a desk in the Navy Department but couldn't understand why we had to work such a frantic 6-day week. Ten months later we were at war with Japan and Germany.
In 1943 I transferred to Marine Corps Air Station, Ewa , Hawaii. At first I lived with a family on the Ewa Plantation right next to the Base and when an opening came, moved into Honolulu and lived at Fernhurst, a residence for single women run by the YWCA. At that time there weren't many more single women from the mainland working in Hawaii than the 52 of us living at Fernhurst, so that was like sorority life again. In March of 1946 I transferred to Marine Corp Air Station, El Toro, CA and worked there and lived in Laguna Beach until I married a career Marine stationed at Pendleton. A year later we had our first child and were building a house in San Clemente when President Truman announced we would intervene in Korea. Within 48 hours my husband was on his way to Korea. I took our six month old daughter and boxer dog and went back to Iowa until our house was finished. Six months later we moved back to California and lived in our new house until husband got home from Korea. We spent the next ten Marine Corp years having children and building houses in 29 Palms, CA. and Allentown, PA. Husband's first job after retirement from Marines was for Bendix Corp in Ancon, Peru. By this time we had 5 children (14 months to 12 years) and spent the years 1961 to 1965 having very interesting time living in Lima. Peru. Our next move was to the Johnson Space Center in Houston and we bought a house in the little town of La Porte, 4 miles from the center. After one year and 23 days there we were all happy to move back to California. By the time husband got his job here at Vandenberg, I had decided it best I get a job and help out financially. At the age of 49, I applied at Vandenberg and got a job in contracting and remained there until retiring in 1984. Since retiring I've kept myself moving by swimming and attending china painting classes and porcelain doll making. Now our five children and 4 grandchildren all live within 60 miles of us so that old song "It seems to me I've heard that song before" keeps ringing in my ears.
Mary passed away on Sunday, April 8, 2012 suddenly and peacefully at her home in Orcutt, CA. She is survived by her sons, George Davison and Michael Davison; daughters Monya Davison and Janet Koch and son-in-law Mark Koch all of Santa Maria, CA.; grandsons Michael Dollete of San Diego, CA, Robert Dollete & Bryce Koch both of Santa Maria, CA; granddaughter Maya Dollete of Santa Maria, CA and great grandson Robert Dollette of San Diego, CA. She is also survived by brother Frank Kinney of Cedar Rapids, IA, many nephews and nieces, beloved dogs Mille, Iowa and Snoop.
She was preceded in death by her husband George L. Davison and daughter Maureen Dollette both of Santa Maria, CA; brother Joseph Kinney of Cedar Rapids. IA, sister Helen Copley of La Jolla, CA and many beloved pets.
On Wednesday, April 18, 2012 a rosary will be held at 1:00 pm followed by a Mass at 1:30 pm at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church in Orcutt, CA. A light reception will immediately follow at the Fellowship Hall at St. Louis de Montfort.
Arrangements are under the direction of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory and Memory Gardens. (805) 922-8463
Published in Santa Maria Times on Apr. 15, 2012.
On April 4, 1918 I was born in Des Moines, IA. My father's work for the Rock Island RR took us to Joliet, IL and eventually Cedar Rapids., IA where I finished high school and matriculated at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. That first year I lived with my Aunt and helped her with her children for my room and board. The second year I went through Rush week, pledged Phi Mu and moved into the Phi Mu house. There weren't many women in the School of Journalism in those days but two others in our house were in the 5 year Journ Program so I felt very comfortable there even though I missed some sorority activities because of work at the Daily Iowan and another part time job at Sears. Our house stayed open year round because so many went to summer school. A number of Phi Mus teaching came back every summer for graduate school classes and some of us working part time while going to school would stay on a part of the summer. This all came to an abrupt end during semester finals in February 1941 when I got a telegram from the Navy Department in Washington DC offering me a job. Because there were still Depression years (we'd never known anything else) and three siblings were in college or expecting to go within a couple of years, I determined I better take this job at twice the pay journalists were getting on our home town paper…I could always work into journalism later. Within a week I was at a desk in the Navy Department but couldn't understand why we had to work such a frantic 6-day week. Ten months later we were at war with Japan and Germany.
In 1943 I transferred to Marine Corps Air Station, Ewa , Hawaii. At first I lived with a family on the Ewa Plantation right next to the Base and when an opening came, moved into Honolulu and lived at Fernhurst, a residence for single women run by the YWCA. At that time there weren't many more single women from the mainland working in Hawaii than the 52 of us living at Fernhurst, so that was like sorority life again. In March of 1946 I transferred to Marine Corp Air Station, El Toro, CA and worked there and lived in Laguna Beach until I married a career Marine stationed at Pendleton. A year later we had our first child and were building a house in San Clemente when President Truman announced we would intervene in Korea. Within 48 hours my husband was on his way to Korea. I took our six month old daughter and boxer dog and went back to Iowa until our house was finished. Six months later we moved back to California and lived in our new house until husband got home from Korea. We spent the next ten Marine Corp years having children and building houses in 29 Palms, CA. and Allentown, PA. Husband's first job after retirement from Marines was for Bendix Corp in Ancon, Peru. By this time we had 5 children (14 months to 12 years) and spent the years 1961 to 1965 having very interesting time living in Lima. Peru. Our next move was to the Johnson Space Center in Houston and we bought a house in the little town of La Porte, 4 miles from the center. After one year and 23 days there we were all happy to move back to California. By the time husband got his job here at Vandenberg, I had decided it best I get a job and help out financially. At the age of 49, I applied at Vandenberg and got a job in contracting and remained there until retiring in 1984. Since retiring I've kept myself moving by swimming and attending china painting classes and porcelain doll making. Now our five children and 4 grandchildren all live within 60 miles of us so that old song "It seems to me I've heard that song before" keeps ringing in my ears.
Mary passed away on Sunday, April 8, 2012 suddenly and peacefully at her home in Orcutt, CA. She is survived by her sons, George Davison and Michael Davison; daughters Monya Davison and Janet Koch and son-in-law Mark Koch all of Santa Maria, CA.; grandsons Michael Dollete of San Diego, CA, Robert Dollete & Bryce Koch both of Santa Maria, CA; granddaughter Maya Dollete of Santa Maria, CA and great grandson Robert Dollette of San Diego, CA. She is also survived by brother Frank Kinney of Cedar Rapids, IA, many nephews and nieces, beloved dogs Mille, Iowa and Snoop.
She was preceded in death by her husband George L. Davison and daughter Maureen Dollette both of Santa Maria, CA; brother Joseph Kinney of Cedar Rapids. IA, sister Helen Copley of La Jolla, CA and many beloved pets.
On Wednesday, April 18, 2012 a rosary will be held at 1:00 pm followed by a Mass at 1:30 pm at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church in Orcutt, CA. A light reception will immediately follow at the Fellowship Hall at St. Louis de Montfort.
Arrangements are under the direction of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory and Memory Gardens. (805) 922-8463
Published in Santa Maria Times on Apr. 15, 2012.
THE ADVENTURES AND MISADVENTURES OF MARY FRANCES KINNEY DAVISON
On April 4, 1918 I was born in Des Moines, IA. My father's work for the Rock Island RR took us to Joliet, IL and eventually Cedar Rapids., IA where I finished high school and matriculated at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. That first year I lived with my Aunt and helped her with her children for my room and board. The second year I went through Rush week, pledged Phi Mu and moved into the Phi Mu house. There weren't many women in the School of Journalism in those days but two others in our house were in the 5 year Journ Program so I felt very comfortable there even though I missed some sorority activities because of work at the Daily Iowan and another part time job at Sears. Our house stayed open year round because so many went to summer school. A number of Phi Mus teaching came back every summer for graduate school classes and some of us working part time while going to school would stay on a part of the summer. This all came to an abrupt end during semester finals in February 1941 when I got a telegram from the Navy Department in Washington DC offering me a job. Because there were still Depression years (we'd never known anything else) and three siblings were in college or expecting to go within a couple of years, I determined I better take this job at twice the pay journalists were getting on our home town paper…I could always work into journalism later. Within a week I was at a desk in the Navy Department but couldn't understand why we had to work such a frantic 6-day week. Ten months later we were at war with Japan and Germany.
In 1943 I transferred to Marine Corps Air Station, Ewa , Hawaii. At first I lived with a family on the Ewa Plantation right next to the Base and when an opening came, moved into Honolulu and lived at Fernhurst, a residence for single women run by the YWCA. At that time there weren't many more single women from the mainland working in Hawaii than the 52 of us living at Fernhurst, so that was like sorority life again. In March of 1946 I transferred to Marine Corp Air Station, El Toro, CA and worked there and lived in Laguna Beach until I married a career Marine stationed at Pendleton. A year later we had our first child and were building a house in San Clemente when President Truman announced we would intervene in Korea. Within 48 hours my husband was on his way to Korea. I took our six month old daughter and boxer dog and went back to Iowa until our house was finished. Six months later we moved back to California and lived in our new house until husband got home from Korea. We spent the next ten Marine Corp years having children and building houses in 29 Palms, CA. and Allentown, PA. Husband's first job after retirement from Marines was for Bendix Corp in Ancon, Peru. By this time we had 5 children (14 months to 12 years) and spent the years 1961 to 1965 having very interesting time living in Lima. Peru. Our next move was to the Johnson Space Center in Houston and we bought a house in the little town of La Porte, 4 miles from the center. After one year and 23 days there we were all happy to move back to California. By the time husband got his job here at Vandenberg, I had decided it best I get a job and help out financially. At the age of 49, I applied at Vandenberg and got a job in contracting and remained there until retiring in 1984. Since retiring I've kept myself moving by swimming and attending china painting classes and porcelain doll making. Now our five children and 4 grandchildren all live within 60 miles of us so that old song "It seems to me I've heard that song before" keeps ringing in my ears.
Mary passed away on Sunday, April 8, 2012 suddenly and peacefully at her home in Orcutt, CA. She is survived by her sons, George Davison and Michael Davison; daughters Monya Davison and Janet Koch and son-in-law Mark Koch all of Santa Maria, CA.; grandsons Michael Dollete of San Diego, CA, Robert Dollete & Bryce Koch both of Santa Maria, CA; granddaughter Maya Dollete of Santa Maria, CA and great grandson Robert Dollette of San Diego, CA. She is also survived by brother Frank Kinney of Cedar Rapids, IA, many nephews and nieces, beloved dogs Mille, Iowa and Snoop.
She was preceded in death by her husband George L. Davison and daughter Maureen Dollette both of Santa Maria, CA; brother Joseph Kinney of Cedar Rapids. IA, sister Helen Copley of La Jolla, CA and many beloved pets.
On Wednesday, April 18, 2012 a rosary will be held at 1:00 pm followed by a Mass at 1:30 pm at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church in Orcutt, CA. A light reception will immediately follow at the Fellowship Hall at St. Louis de Montfort.
Arrangements are under the direction of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory and Memory Gardens. (805) 922-8463
Published in Santa Maria Times on Apr. 15, 2012.
On April 4, 1918 I was born in Des Moines, IA. My father's work for the Rock Island RR took us to Joliet, IL and eventually Cedar Rapids., IA where I finished high school and matriculated at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. That first year I lived with my Aunt and helped her with her children for my room and board. The second year I went through Rush week, pledged Phi Mu and moved into the Phi Mu house. There weren't many women in the School of Journalism in those days but two others in our house were in the 5 year Journ Program so I felt very comfortable there even though I missed some sorority activities because of work at the Daily Iowan and another part time job at Sears. Our house stayed open year round because so many went to summer school. A number of Phi Mus teaching came back every summer for graduate school classes and some of us working part time while going to school would stay on a part of the summer. This all came to an abrupt end during semester finals in February 1941 when I got a telegram from the Navy Department in Washington DC offering me a job. Because there were still Depression years (we'd never known anything else) and three siblings were in college or expecting to go within a couple of years, I determined I better take this job at twice the pay journalists were getting on our home town paper…I could always work into journalism later. Within a week I was at a desk in the Navy Department but couldn't understand why we had to work such a frantic 6-day week. Ten months later we were at war with Japan and Germany.
In 1943 I transferred to Marine Corps Air Station, Ewa , Hawaii. At first I lived with a family on the Ewa Plantation right next to the Base and when an opening came, moved into Honolulu and lived at Fernhurst, a residence for single women run by the YWCA. At that time there weren't many more single women from the mainland working in Hawaii than the 52 of us living at Fernhurst, so that was like sorority life again. In March of 1946 I transferred to Marine Corp Air Station, El Toro, CA and worked there and lived in Laguna Beach until I married a career Marine stationed at Pendleton. A year later we had our first child and were building a house in San Clemente when President Truman announced we would intervene in Korea. Within 48 hours my husband was on his way to Korea. I took our six month old daughter and boxer dog and went back to Iowa until our house was finished. Six months later we moved back to California and lived in our new house until husband got home from Korea. We spent the next ten Marine Corp years having children and building houses in 29 Palms, CA. and Allentown, PA. Husband's first job after retirement from Marines was for Bendix Corp in Ancon, Peru. By this time we had 5 children (14 months to 12 years) and spent the years 1961 to 1965 having very interesting time living in Lima. Peru. Our next move was to the Johnson Space Center in Houston and we bought a house in the little town of La Porte, 4 miles from the center. After one year and 23 days there we were all happy to move back to California. By the time husband got his job here at Vandenberg, I had decided it best I get a job and help out financially. At the age of 49, I applied at Vandenberg and got a job in contracting and remained there until retiring in 1984. Since retiring I've kept myself moving by swimming and attending china painting classes and porcelain doll making. Now our five children and 4 grandchildren all live within 60 miles of us so that old song "It seems to me I've heard that song before" keeps ringing in my ears.
Mary passed away on Sunday, April 8, 2012 suddenly and peacefully at her home in Orcutt, CA. She is survived by her sons, George Davison and Michael Davison; daughters Monya Davison and Janet Koch and son-in-law Mark Koch all of Santa Maria, CA.; grandsons Michael Dollete of San Diego, CA, Robert Dollete & Bryce Koch both of Santa Maria, CA; granddaughter Maya Dollete of Santa Maria, CA and great grandson Robert Dollette of San Diego, CA. She is also survived by brother Frank Kinney of Cedar Rapids, IA, many nephews and nieces, beloved dogs Mille, Iowa and Snoop.
She was preceded in death by her husband George L. Davison and daughter Maureen Dollette both of Santa Maria, CA; brother Joseph Kinney of Cedar Rapids. IA, sister Helen Copley of La Jolla, CA and many beloved pets.
On Wednesday, April 18, 2012 a rosary will be held at 1:00 pm followed by a Mass at 1:30 pm at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church in Orcutt, CA. A light reception will immediately follow at the Fellowship Hall at St. Louis de Montfort.
Arrangements are under the direction of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory and Memory Gardens. (805) 922-8463
Published in Santa Maria Times on Apr. 15, 2012.
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