Viola "Vi" Marie Davidson

Viola “Vi” Marie (Brown) Davidson was born April 25, 1933, in Willard, Ohio, to Ervin Ray and Dorothea Evelyn (Meyers) Brown. She grew up in Ohio with her eight siblings until she was seventeen and the entire family, including Vi’s two widowed aunts, set off for Oregon in a bus towing a truck with a boat behind that. When they got as far as Hood River, Oregon, the bus broke down, stranding the family. Vi was devastated when the family was forced to sell her beloved Victrola to fund the necessary repairs. In the small town of Marcola, Oregon, Vi met and fell in love with Orvil Davidson, and the two were married February 11, 1953.  The couple moved to Lakeside, Oregon, where their first child was born, and Orvil took work for the railroad laying tracks. When he was injured and the company would not allow him to continue working, the family began to travel around working fields, following the crops around the country. They moved to Arkansas where Orvil farmed and their second child was born, then back to Oregon adding another child, on to California where two more children were born, then a return to Arkansas where they welcomed two more kids, and finally back to Oregon where their last two children were born. Whatever Orvil was doing, Vi worked right alongside him whether it was hoeing cotton or working the fields. She also took other work whenever she could, from working as a caregiver or at local canneries, or cooking at restaurants. But her family was always top priority, and Vi always took the best care of them, no matter what their means, even if it was canning food over an open fire, she always made the best of things. Vi was incredibly selfless and kind-hearted, and always put others before herself. As the grandkids and great-grandkids, and eventually great-great-grandkids came along, Vi was the best “Ma” they could hope for and she adored them all. She was blessed to live close to many of them and her growing family always spent holidays and special occasions together. She was the best wife, mother, and grandmother. Some of her favorite hobbies were fishing, camping, and crabbing with her family. Vi loved the outdoors and combined with time spent with her beloved family was as close to heaven on earth as she could get.  Vi loved the Lord with all her heart and she always had her bible close by and did her best to live by the word. Tragedy struck her life several times, from the death of her two children in a car crash that nearly took her life, to the loss of her husband, and the heartbreaking loss of her great grandson, Vi took comfort in her faith. On November 5, 2021, surrounded by her family, Vi entered into the waiting arms of her Savior and a joyous reunion with all those who went before her.  Vi was preceded in death by her parents Ervin and Dorothea Brown; husband Orvil Davidson; children Steven Ray Davidson and Wilma Jean Davidson; great-grandson Kyle Denton; and seven of her siblings. She is survived by her sister Mildred Ann Dunn; children Lela Faye (Terry) Andrews, Orvil Lee Davidson, Dorothea Evelyn (Bruce) Collver; Timothy Davidson, Kenny (Taunia) Davidson, and Tommy (Jan) Davidson; stepsons GW (Patricia) Davidson and Thomas Davidson; grandchildren Michael (Angie), Michell (Dusty), Jeremy (Felicia), Lela Marie (Les), Jonathan, Jessica (Jeff), Nicole (Bryan), Lonnie Ray, Clay (Tina), and William Scott; great grandchildren Alexis (Michael), Marcus (Taylor), Ashlee (Braydon), Kaylee (Drew), Abby, Emma, Ava, Ariah, Stephen, Randy, Travis, Ella, Caleb, Brooklyn, Hudson, Darrell, Jasmine, Cody, and Charity; and great-great-grandchildren Collin, Addison, Grady, Kaden, Brandt, Berklee, Sebastian, Phineas, Evelyn, and one on the way.