LaBerta Ann Davis

LaBerta Ann “Bert” Davis passed away March 31st, 2023 in Olympia, WA at the age of 87 after a long struggle with lung cancer.

Bert was born in Oklahoma City, OK on August 27th, 1935 to parents John and Christine Smithee. She was an Oklahoman through and through, living in Oklahoma until moving to Olympia in 2022.

Growing up, Bert enjoyed playing softball, bowling, dancing and listening to music. She was a member of both mixed and women’s bowling league teams, and if you couldn’t find her at the bowling alley, she was usually out cutting a rug with a favorite dance partner. Her tastes in music ran the gamut from big bands to Bobbie Vinton, Frankie Valli to classical violinist Andre Rieu, and she always said she’d love to set Glen Campbell down on her dresser to sing and play for her anytime.

Bert was a member in the Order of the Eastern Star and her philanthropic activities included volunteering for several years with the India Shrine Circus in Oklahoma City. She was a bookkeeper by trade until the late ‘70s when she became the manager of a Pittsburgh Paint store, and retired from there.

As an avid sports fan Bert loved watching college sports, particularly basketball and football, and had quite a collection of Oklahoma Sooner sports memorabilia. Through the years her passion for many different hobbies grew, including gardening, crochet, canning, and crafts. She also loved playing games including dominoes and cards but her absolute favorite was playing whoop ass in Wahoo.

Bert is survived by her older sister Veta Smith and younger brother Lawrence Wayne Smithee, her daughters Christina Vanderford, Laura Nolting, and Tracy Finley, her grandsons Brandon Vanderford and Seth Finley, and her great grandsons Olik Vanderford and William Vanderford. Her husband Wallace Davis predeceased her in 2014.

A short graveside service is planned for Saturday, May 13th at 10:00am at the Resthaven Memory Gardens at 500 SW 104th St in Oklahoma City.

Bert’s family asks that in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in her memory.