Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, October 14, 2017

Walking Sierra Madre…The Social Side 

REMEMBERING JOHN DAVIS by Deanne Davis 


BOO SIERRA MADRE! 


Mountain View News Saturday, October 14, 2017 


The City of Sierra Madre offers many activities duringthe Halloween season. The season is kicked off with 
the Halloween Window Painting Contest sponsoredby the Sierra Madre Civic Club. Where communityyouth paint local business windows throughout thedowntown area (Application Required). 

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Coordinated by the Sierra Madre Chamber of 
Commerce, local businesses hand out candy in 
Kersting Court, on Sierra Madre Blvd. between 
Baldwin Ave. and Lima Ave., on Baldwin Ave. 
between Sierra Madre Blvd. (and select businesses 
on East Montecito Ave.). Participating businesses 

will have a trick-or-treating sign placed in their 
window. 
Everyone is invited to participate in the Sierra 
Madre Costume Parade led by the Sierra Madre Fire 
Department and sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of 
Sierra Madre. The parade begins in Kersting Court 
and will travel west on Sierra Madre Blvd. finishing 
at Memorial Park. The costume contest begins at 
5:30PM sharp and all costume contest participants 
must complete a waiver prior to participating.

Please note that the neighborhood trick-ortreating 
on Alegria is not a City-sponsored event.

For more information please call the CommunityServices Office at 626-355-5278. 

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you? To actjustly and to love mercy and to walk humbly withyour God.” Michah 6:8

That, friends and neighbors, was the lifeverse and conduct code of my best friend, mywalking buddy, my oatmeal cookie aficionado,
my Dancing With The Stars critique partnerand the one and only love of my life, John Davis.
John left us Monday morning, October 9th atabout 6:30 a.m. as a result of complicationsof pneumonia coupled with a virulent lunginfection that none of us can figure out how onearth he encountered such a thing.

Some years ago when our oldest grandson,
Michael, was born, I took our Texas daughter,
Crissy, who was then 8 years old, with me andwe flew to Connecticut where our daughter,
Leah, was living...small side trip here... we lovedseeing pictures of pregnant Leah scraping snowoff her windshield while wearing sandals. Youcan take the girl out of California but you can’ttake the California out of the girl! Anyway, Iwrote John a note and told him then, “You are 
the other half of my heart.” That never changed.
We have been married 50 years as of last April1st and while I am walking and talking anddoing all the things that one has to do at this sortof time, I am doing it with half of my heart. Somany people, hundreds actually and that’s notexaggerating, have sent me notes on Facebookand other places telling me how John changedtheir lives and loved them unconditionally. Hewas, literally, the kindest, dearest person I’veever known. 

John did things like taking my hand, lookingdeep into my eyes, when I was in my late 30’sand saying, “It’s really important to me that youfloss!” “Fine,” I said, “I’ll floss.” Now it’s habitual. 
He did the same thing to our daughter, Patti,
made her promise she’d floss for a year. Johnwas a gentle soul who loved serving breakfast tothe homeless of Pasadena at Church in the Park 
with Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene. He 
was in charge of grits and of telling people howhappy he was to see them and just generallybeing a sweet and loving guy.

One of the happiest times of his life, mine too,
was when we taught the young singles Sundayschool class at church. We started with four girlswho were in their early twenties and eventuallywe had over 30. The Jabez Group. How weloved them and how they loved him. Manymarriages and babies have come out of thatgroup of young singles. They speak of him andthe advice he gave, always solid, always loving.

John was born in the California Hospital inLos Angeles on June 16, 1933. His parents,
Jay and Leila, supported him in whatever heneeded to do, including drilling holes in thewalls to rewire certain areas to work the wayhe wanted them to. Of course, he also let me 
paint our kitchen bright orange and yellowand our bathroom bright yellow and greenwithout complaining. He attended USC wherehe received his Bachelor of Engineering degreein 1955 and his Master’s in Engineering in 1959.
He loved the radio business and did technical 
work for so many stations. In fact, he lovedradio so much that we built and owned our own 
radio station, KROR-FM, The Mighty Roar ofthe Desert from 1988-1994 when we got outby the skin of our teeth. We always referred toour radio years as, “The Best of Times and TheWorst of Times!” He also hosted folk music 
radio programs starting in the 1950’s on thefirst FM station in Los Angeles, KCBH-FMand later on KPFK-FM, “Heartfelt Music.” This 
song, “My Baby’s Gone,” he played so manytimes came to me when I knew he was gone: 


“Hold back the rushing minutes, make thewind lie still. 

Don’t let the moonlight shine across the lonelyhill. 

Dry all the raindrops, and hold back the sun.

My world has ended, my baby’s gone” 

John loved Sierra Madre. When we were goingto get married in 1967, there was no questionabout where we’d live. Sierra Madre...where yousee deer wandering in the street, where peopleare friendly, where we found the house of ourdreams, a 100 year old beauty on 2/3 of anacre where we raised our children, Leah, Patti, 
John and Crissy. Where we’ve had hundreds ofparties, barbequed tons of hamburgers and hotdogs, sat around the pool with so many friendsand laughed and talked.

When we knew that John’s days were comingto an end, that’s what we did, the family – whichhas grown to be quite a few wonderful people,
13 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren - andI, we sat and stood around his bed and laughedand talked and told stories, and prayed andwept and hugged and so many people camein and read the 23rd Psalm: “The Lord is myshepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to liedown in green pastures: he leadeth me besidethe still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadethme in the paths of righteousness for his name’ssake. Yea, though I walk through the valley ofthe shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou 
art with me...” John loved God with all his heart 
and soul and prayed frequently to be a betterdisciple for Him.

Walking Sierra Madre will not be nearly asmuch fun without my walking buddy to talk toand laugh with and admire the gardens all overtown with, but I will do my best as that’s what hewould want. He’s dancing with the angels! Andhas heard the words, “Well done, thou goodand faithful servant. You have been faithful over 
a little; I will set you over much. Enter now intothe joy of your Master!” Mt. 25:21

John’s memorial service will be Saturday,
November 4th at 1:00 p.m. at First Churchof the Nazarene, 3700 E. Sierra Madre Blvd., 
Pasadena 91107. In lieu of flowers, donations 
to World Vision’s Clean Water Project would begreatly appreciated. John’s ID/Pledge Number isD10002667. The address: World Vision, PO Box 
70399, Tacoma, WA 98481-0399. 


SPERO FOUNDATION HOPS FOR HOPE DINNER 
FUNDRAISER AT SANTA ANITA RACE TRACK 

Sierra Madre, California - October 


the community’s best from 

8, 2017. The Spero Foundation 

Sierra Madre Playhouse, 

announced its major fall fund 

Creative Arts Group, Pasadena 

raising event for 2017 Hops for 

Adaptive Arts Program and 

Hope, a five course gourmet dinner 

The Friends of The Sierra 

and California Craft beer pairing 

Madre Library. A member from 

will be held at Santa Anita Race 

each group was nominated by 

Track in the Mezzanine Sports 

their respective organizations 

Lounge on Saturday November 4th 

as ones who give so generously 

starting at 6:00PM.

and make a difference with 

This year’s event will recognize 

their volunteerism in the 

the accomplishments of some of 

community.