Callie Reeves Davis

Callie Davis, 104 years old, died December 16, 2009, in Gulfport after a rapid four-week-long decline precipitated by stepping on a thumbtack. Prior to that, she had never been hospitalized overnight. She had lived independently, managed her own household, cooked her own food, talked on the phone daily to family and friends, and remained lucid and in control of her own affairs until the last month of her life.
She was born Oct. 27, 1905, in George County to Albert Joseph Reeves and Mary Ancebell Havens Reeves. She was preceded in death by her parents; by her husband, Vernon Davis, by her four sisters: Ottie Mitchelson and Zona Hoff of Gulfport, Eloise Rosetti of Biloxi, and Iva Whitaker of Wetumpka, AL; and by nephew Joey Hoff and niece Mary Gail Whitaker Bass.
She was an African Violet grower, and long-time residents of Gulfport will remember the aÌ‚â‚Å“African Violetsâ₝ sign in front of her house on Pass Road in Handsboro, where she had a greenhouse behind her house and lived for over sixty years. She also cultivated camellias and enjoyed camellia show competition.
She did beautiful tatting and crocheting, specializing in baby caps, sweaters, and booties. An example of her tatting can be seen adorning Emeril and Alden LagasseaÌ‚â‚â„¢s baby boy on a 2003 cover of South magazine.
She was the subject of an article in the aÌ‚â‚Å“Slant on Seniorsâ₝ series by Ava Reid in the Sun-Herald, and her health was so remarkable that at the age of 102 she was featured on a segment of Karen AbernathyaÌ‚â‚â„¢s aÌ‚â‚Å“Health Watchâ₝ on WLOX-TV.
She stopped driving at the age of 97, and her family is indebted to her friend, Betty Moncus, who often grocery-shopped for her, took her to doctor appointments, and came to her home and did her hair for her.
She had no children of her own and is survived by nieces and nephews: Linda Hoff and Fred Hoff of Gulfport; Sarah Mitchelson Stanley of McHenry and Mary Helen Mitchelson Jost of Cincinnati, OH; Polly Rosetti Meaut of Blythewood, SC, and Tony Rosetti, Jr., of West Point, MS; Paul aÌ‚â‚Å“Rustyâ₝ Whitaker of Augusta, GA; and numerous grand- and great-grand-nieces and -nephews.
A lifelong Methodist, she was a member of the Handsboro United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to her church or to her favorite charity, St. JudeaÌ‚â‚â„¢s ChildrenaÌ‚â‚â„¢s Hospital.
Her funeral will take place at 11:00am on Saturday, December 19, 2009, at the RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 274 Beauvoir Road, Biloxi, with visitation starting at 10:00. Her friend the Rev. Rachel Benefield will officiate, and interment will follow at Southern Memorial Park Mausoleum.
An online obituary may be viewed and guestbook signed at www.riemannfamily.com.