Ruth (Jester) Davis

Ruth V. Davis, age 99, passed away April 8, 2021 in Osage Beach, Missouri.  She was born July 15, 1921 in Cole Camp, Missouri to the late William Patrick and Alvie Carrender Jester.  The seventh of eight children.

Ruth graduated high school from Cole Camp in 1939.  After graduation, she moved to St. Louis and attended Hadley Technical school and trained in typing and shorthand.  While in St. Louis she met and married in 1941, the late Denver Leon Davis. 

During World War II, Ruth’s husband was deployed. Ruth and her oldest daughter lived with her parents in Stover, Missouri and she worked for Tweedies Shoe Factory.  Her family moved to Eldon after the war but Ruth was called back to Tweedies Defense Plant to make tents used during the Korean War. 

One of Ruth’s first business ventures in Eldon was to own, with her husband, Century Grill Restaurant.  After selling the restaurant, Ruth worked for State Teachers’ Retirement Board; Eldon Advertising; and finally opened her own children’s store, Ruth’s Young Fashion.  After retiring and selling her store, she continued to work part-time at Roth’s Department Store then Saffees in Osage Beach, Missouri.

Ruth was a member of the First Baptist Church in Eldon where, for many years, she taught Sunday School and Bible School.  She was a 50 year member of Eastern Star and over the years had been a member of the Eldon Golf Course, and Evening Euterpean Club.  She gave back to her community by serving on the Eldon Chamber Board, the Downtown Business group, and coordinated for many years the Miller County Fair queen contest. 

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, husband, four brothers and three sisters. 

Ruth is survived by three daughters, Sandra Davis Turner (Jim) of Sikeston, Missouri; Sherry Davis Musick of Springfield, Missouri and Sara Davis Muff (Joe) of Osage Beach, Missouri.  She was MoMo to eight grandchildren, Christopher Turner of Charlotte, North Carolina; Sean Musick of Springfield, Missouri; Douglas Turner of Wilmington, North Carolina; Lacey Musick Eddington of Springfield, Missouri; Ryan Muff of Colorado; Laura Beth Muff Dalpiaz, of Chesterfield, Missouri; Jonathan Muff of Osage Beach, Missouri; and Jordan Muff of Osage Beach, Missouri; 13 great grand children; and one great great grandchild. 

Family and friends are invited to a celebration of Ruth’s life on Saturday, July 17 at 3:00 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Eldon, Missouri.

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