Saima I. Davis

Saima I. Davis (nee Makinen) was born on July 14, 1920 and passed on July 17, 2023.  Saima was a first-generation Finnish-American. She was born to Frans Jalmar and Hilma Susanna (Ponteskoski) Makinen, who met and married after immigrating to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Four of their seven children survived; all three surviving siblings preceded Saima in death: William J., Signe Churan, and Martha Whitver.

Saima was born during the time of the Spanish (1918) Flu, which nearly killed her mother. She was raised on a family farm that was mostly self-sustaining. She attended a one-room schoolhouse through third grade, where she learned English. After graduation from high school, she worked several different jobs locally before going to Detroit with her sister to find employment. She had several positions, including housework for the owners of Samsonite Luggage, operating a hotel elevator, and as a “Rosie the Riveter,” inspecting crankshafts at Cadillac Motor Co., which had been converted into a defense plant.

In 1942 she met her future husband, the late Charles Willis Davis of Eldorado, IL, in the apartment building where they both were living. They married in 1943 in St. Louis, where his two sisters were living and not far from his parents in southern Illinois. They had a weekend honeymoon at the Mayfair Hotel in downtown St. Louis. He was being called into service and would soon be leaving for basic training. When he was finally stationed at the Naval Hospital in Long Beach, CA, she was able to join him and found a Civil Service job with the Navy. Four months into her first pregnancy, she decided to leave for her parents’ home for the birth. Several weeks following the birth, she moved in with Charlie’s parents in Hutsonville, IL, until Charlie (“Junior”) was discharged.

Saima and Charlie (also Chuck) raised four children: Carol Ann (Gary) McDonald of Manchester; Charles Ronald (Paula) of Fredericksburg, VA; James Gregory (the late Judey; partner Marianne) of Stuart, FL; and Jeffrey Howard (the late Debra; Bev) of St. Louis. In 1956 the family moved from the Detroit area to Evansville, IN, and then to the St. Louis area in 1959 with Charlie’s job transfers. Once her children were old enough, Saima worked part time to save money for family vacations. She worked in various jobs for different companies, including Manpower temporary services, holding interior decorating shows in homes for

House of Decorative Accessories, Avon door-to-door sales, and demonstrating products in stores into her 90s. She loved to dance, so she and Charlie would go to area dance halls on weekends with friends (the women in long gowns). When asked what she wanted to do for her 80th birthday, she said “dance”; so a hall and D.J. were rented for the big event. Saima loved to travel and took many family trips, excursions, cruises, and bus tours with her husband. In her later years, she joined Red Hats and Epsilon Delta Sorority of Sigma Phi Gamma International. From her 40s, her avid hobby was studying nutrition and often brought the topic into conversations. She also liked to garden and decorate her home.

She was confirmed in 1936 and baptized in 1939 in the Lutheran Church. She joined the Methodist Church after marriage and was a long-time member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in south St. Louis County, where she volunteered with the Resell-it Shop.

She was the matriarch of five generations. Besides her four children, she is survived by

· Grandchildren: Rachel Tipton; Christopher Davis, Melissa Kolafa, and Scott Davis; Eric Davis and Kimberly Schmidt; Richard Nelson and Jace Davis and Shawn Davis.

· Great-grandchildren Nicholas and Michael Tipton; Brittany Summer and Christopher, Connor, Carter, and Charlie Davis; the late Dylan, Luke, Noah, and Adam Kolafa; and Walker and Mikayla Davis; Kayla Nanney and Julia Schmidt; and Millie and Charlotte Davis.

· Great-great grandchildren Kinley Tipton; Hannah, Brayden, Noah, the late Wyatt, and soon-to-be Daisy Tipton; Leighton Nanney; and Virginia Summer.

She was preceded in death and is survived by special nieces and nephews in the Makinen and Davis families.

Saima will always be remembered as an energetic, well-mannered, smart, classy lady who always gave selflessly and cherished her family and friends.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, July 23, from 4 p.m. till 7 p.m. at Fey Funeral Home, 4100 Lemay Ferry Rd, St. Louis, MO 63129. Funeral service will be held at the funeral home at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, July 24, followed by a graveside service at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at 10:45 a.m.  Memorial donations may be given to St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.

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