Ruth Whitehead Davis

On April 29, 2025 Ruth Ann Whitehead Davis left her frail body for her journey to Heaven. 

Ruth is survived by her sons Stephen J. Davis, wife Connie and Gregory T. Davis, wife Jennifer as well as her grandchildren Elizabeth Harrelson, husband Michael; Stephanie Cunningham, husband Shu; Michael Davis, wife Vanessa; Sarah Harris, husband Justin; Hannah Olson, husband Jordan, in addition several great-grandchildren. Ruth is preceded in death by her beloved husband James “Jim” Davis, daughter Laura Berry and grandson Joshua Berry as well as her parents Louis and Katherine Whitehead and sisters Helen Walker and Mary Dillon.

Ruth was born on March 10, 1933 to Louis and Katherine Whitehead in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her family moved several times due to her father’s work in the Natural Gas Industry, the family finally settled in Little Rock, Arkansas in the late 1940’s. Ruth went on to graduate from Mount Saint Mary’s Academy in 1951. Later Ruth went to business school where she focused on becoming a skilled bookkeeper.

 Ruth worked for an accounting firm and later as a bookkeeper for the CPA firm of Rasco, Burris & Winter. Ruth also participated in several volunteer activities including PTA. Ruth’s hobbies included sewing and water aerobics. She and Jim were among the founding members of Christ the King Catholic Church in the 1960’s where they assisted in many activities over the years including being Eucharistic Ministers. Ruth was dedicated to her faith and lived Catholic principles every day, encouraging that to flourish in her family.

Ruth met her beloved husband James “Jim” Thomas Davis in high school and reconnected after Jim returned to Little Rock from a sojourn to California. Ruth and Jim were married on June 29, 1957, at Holy Souls Catholic Church in Little Rock. They were happily married for 67 years and enjoyed both international and domestic travel with their family and friends. 

It is hard to make a list of memories her family cherishes most in our beloved Mother and Grandmother. She was quick to laugh and always a warm, loving and supportive presence in person or in spirit every day of our lives. She drove her children and grandchildren a million miles to ferry them to their various activities and always beamed at their accomplishments. Ruth had many lifelong friends, among them the four couples in ”bridge club” whose friendship began in the 1950’s over convivial bridge, dinner and cocktail parties for over 50 years. Ruth frequently ended calls or meetings with happy “tra-la” so we now bid her a final “tra-la”, may we meet in heaven.

Rosary and Visitation will be Wednesday, May 7th beginning at 6pm at Smith Family Funeral Home, Little Rock.

 Funeral Mass will be Thursday, May 8th beginning at 10:30am, at Christ the King Catholic Church, in Little Rock.