Zala Opal (Pratt) Davis

Zala Opal (Pratt) Davis, 94, Independence, passed away at Village Hospice, Lee’s Summit, Tuesday afternoon, May 17, 2011.
Zala was born July 16, 1916, at Turlock, CA, the daughter of Irra Irene and Melvin Levi Pratt. The Pratt family moved to the Coal Hill community when Zala was one year old. She attended Coal Hill one room elementary school and graduated from El Dorado Springs High School.

Zala married Paul M. Davis Sept. 8, 1940, at Knob Noster. To their union eight children were born, six boys and two girls. Her husband and two sons preceded her in death.

Zala starting working at the age of 13, when she was sent to live with Tom and Emma Lusk to help them with household chores, farm chores and to learn to play the piano.

Paul and Zala started their married life in Independence and moved to the farm in the Coal Hill community prior to the birth of their first son, Paul. Zala always worked with Paul and the boys on the farm while trying to keep order in the house. Besides raising her own children, her home was always open for any one that needed a bed for a night or a year. In 1969, Paul and Zala moved to Independence where she lived until her death.

She attended Eden Heights RLDS church and worked several years at McKivets Donut Shop.

She loved to travel on bus trips around the states and made two trips to Germany to visit her son, Robert, (in the Air Force) and his family. She loved gardening, crocheting, making bread and spending time with family and friends.

Preceding Zala in death were her husband, Paul; her ten-month old son, Melvin Revere; son, Paul Levi; a brother, Arthur; her parents; granddaughter, Melissa Ann Davis; a great-grandson Nathan Crabtree; and a great-granddaughter, Annie Lynn Davis.
Survivors include six of her eight children: Thomas L. Davis and wife, Bonnie - Bates City, Leslie T. Davis and wife, Sharon - Oak Grove, Robert L. Davis and wife, Patty - Harrah, OK, Roger L. Davis and wife, Marj - Lone Jack, Opal Hill and husband, Clyde - Mayview and Barbara Nussbaum - Independence; 23 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren and one sister, Corris Denny - Independence.

Services began at 2 p.m. on Saturday May 21, at Bland-Hackleman Chapel in El Dorado Springs, with Elder Richard Wood and Bro. Dan Richner officiating. Tiffany Haning and Sarra Jungling provided music. Interment followed in Coal Hill Cemetery under the direction of Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were Marcus Davis, Butch Davis, Paul Davis, Kevin Davis, Jason Greer, Troy Nussbaum and Roger Lane Davis.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Nathan’s Quest-Childhood Cancer Fund and left at the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at: www.blandhackleman.com.