Jean Anderson Sheldrake Davis, 87 of Edinboro, PA, died Thursday, July 28, 2022 at Edinboro Manor from Parkinson’s Disease. She was born in Rochester, PA on September 29, 1934. Her parents were Wilbur Wayne Anderson and Margaret Hastie Anderson of Beaver, PA. She met her husband, Richard O. Davis of Freedom, PA, in an art class in 1960. They married in 1962. She taught school at Cambridge Springs Elementary School for 25 years and was a resident of Edinboro for 54 years.
Jean was a wonderful mother and friend to her children. She had a myriad of interests, from traveling and reading to quilting, needlepoint and knitting. She was a member of the Edinboro Book Review Club, North Coast Sewing Guild, and the Heather Garden Club. She always had a good idea for something fun to do. She loved to travel and would come home from vacations looking refreshed from a trip touring country houses and gardens in England, river rafting in British Columbia, voyaging on a sailboat for a week off the shores of Maine, or visiting Williamsburg and Virginia Beach. She was a wonderful cook and we will all remember our warm and happy family gatherings.
Jean was a dedicated councilwoman, serving on the Edinboro Borough Council since 1974. She was the first woman to serve on council, as well as the first woman mayor for several terms. She was also the first woman to serve on the Erie County Borough’s Association and held the position of president of the association for a term. One of her many significant contributions to the Edinboro community was her involvement in the Edinboro Wastewater Treatment Plant to help ensure a clean and safe recreational lake for Edinboro.
She is predeceased by her husband, Richard O. Davis; her son, Clair Lee Sheldrake; a daughter, Laurie Showman; a daughter-in-law, Melanie Sheldrake and a grandson, Keith Sheldrake. She is survived by two children; Meg Larson and her husband, Ron, of Edinboro and Holly Borland and her husband, Mike, of Sewickley, and her son-in-law, Gary Showman of Edinboro. Also surviving are five grandchildren; Deke Showman (Jennifer), Haley Atkins (Anthony), Spencer Larson (Rachael), and Richard and Georgiana Borland. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren; Eli, Elsa and Ester Showman and Astrid Atkins; and her brother, John Anderson of Seattle, WA.
The Glunt Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., Edinboro has been entrusted with arrangements.
A private burial for the family will be held at Edinboro Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to The A.N.N.A. Shelter, Erie, PA or your local Humane Society. To send condolences, please visit gluntfuneralhome.com.
Posted online on July 31, 2022
Published in The Beaver County Times
