Floie Ruby Davis

     Floie Ruby Smith Davis was born on March 7, 1906 in Edgemont, Arkansas.  She was born into a family of four sisters, each with a jewel-like middle name.  Floie contracted tuberculosis of the bone when she was three years old, and it damaged her hip leaving her with one leg shorter than the other.  Her mother died when Floie was nine years old, and her father married a woman who already had several children of her own.  The Smith family lived in a very large pre-Civil War home where they housed the local post office.  The sisters were responsible for the rural mail delivery.  Floie often told of her adventures as the tiny postal carrier on the big horse.
    Floie was married and had a son, Robert.  In the 1940's, they moved to Oregon and lived in Vanport which was just north of Portland.  In the spring of 1948, the Columbia River breached the dike that surrounded Vanport, and in the extensive flooding that followed, Floie lost her personal possessions.  At some point Floie was divorced and was left to manage for herself.  In October of 1949, while they lived on NE 7th, Floie and her son came to Temple.  After other moves Floie bought the big Victorian house on SE 17th and Morrison where she lived for many years.  The house was divided into housekeeping rooms for rent so Floie and Bob shared their home with several other people until she was finally able to maintain the house on her own.  Floie worked for the Internal Revenue Service for many years until her retirement.  She enjoyed traveling to Europe to visit Bob and his wife Delores and their daughter, Floie.  In the last few years of her life Floie lived in an apartment of Baptist Manor.
    While attending Temple Floie worked in the Sunday School with Kindergartners.  Because she was so small she enjoyed a special rapport with the children.  She always kept her focus on making sure her little students knew that Jesus loved them.  She kept her teaching material and used it over and over again.  Floie made it a point to visit every student's home at least twice a year--she did all her traveling on the city bus.  Once she retired from teaching, Floie and Evelyn (Nestlen) McCarthy provided Wednesday night child care, taking care of the young children of choir members.
    I remember every spring near the end of the school year, Floie's class of darling little children would have a graduation ceremony during the Sunday morning service.  They wore white caps and gowns, said their Bible verses and sang songs.
     Floie Davis went to be with her Lord on December 7, 1991.

        Dear Father, Hear my earnest prayer,
            For each small child within my care,
                Oh, may Thy love reflected be,
                    So each wee heart see's Thee through me.

    The following chorus seems like it was written for Floie with her special middle name and the children she held so dear and taught them they could also be jewels in His crown.  Floie is indeed a jewel in His crown.

WHEN HE COMETH

When he cometh, when he cometh to make up His jewels,
All His jewels precious Jewels, His loved and His own;
Like the stars of the morning, His bright crown adorning, 
They shall shine in their beauty, bright gems for His crown

He will gather, He will gather the gems for His kingdom;
All the pure ones, all the bright one's His loved and His own.
Little children, little children, who love their redeemer, 
are the jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.

Information supplied by Mr. Robert Davis and Katie Koerper.

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