Abby Davis

On Sunday March 10th, 2019 late in the evening our friend and family member Billie Sage (Abby Davis) passed on peacefully, surrounded by family. She is survived by her son Matthew Davis, brothers Tom Davis, Scott Davis, former wife Jeri Jones, and many many friends. Billie grew up in the mountains of Wyoming where, as she desired, her ashes will be scattered to the winds and the wilds that she so loved. To the people she grew up with, Billie was born as James Davis. Billie, however, recognized early on that she was somehow different, although what that difference was, exactly, was at first elusive. Billie, then Jim, joined the Navy and served as an electrician and saw the world. After her 4 year Navy stint, she returned to Laramie and worked as a maintenance person at Ivinson Memorial Hospital where she met her former wife Jeri Jones. She began a new career at Laramie Water Department where she eventually worked her way up to the position of wastewater treatment operator – a desired job. In the midst of those years, her son Matthew was born. This was a revelatory experience for her, according to Billie, and afforded a first vision of the spiritual nature of the world she was to explore, and as Billie Sage, make a deep part of her life. She made the transition from male to female – her new legal name was Abby Davis. At last she was able to live a life that allowed her inner and outer life to be in harmony. During all this time Billie had been involved in a spiritual journey that helped her negotiate her divorce, move to Grand Junction from rural Wyoming and transition from male to female. She took part in a Kirtan chanting group, studied many texts in Buddhism, Hinduism, Paganism, and Christianity, including her reading of the entire bible, and eventually studied with a female Shaman. This study took her even deeper into herself and she engaged in many rituals to heal her soul – like drumming from moonrise to moon set. Her spiritual journey was also a journey of self acceptance and self love and one which led to her renaming herself as Billie Sage, a name that fit her evolving spiritual self. In addition to her spiritual questing, Billie was also an engaged political activist. She was involved in the transgender and GLBTQ community, a peace activist, and advocated in other area of human rights as well. As an example, Billie traveled to the Dakotas to take part in the Native American resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline where she camped with and supported the Lakota and Dakota natives in their struggle. She was also an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand Valley, a Unitarian Church where she engaged in social action, community service and was a regular office helper. In all these facets of her rich life she brought her kindness, wisdom, and openness to those she met and worked with, Her gentleness and nonjudgmental openness to all were valued highly by her many friends and family. We will miss her with all our hearts. A memorial will be held on Saturday, April 27th at 11:00 AM at Grand Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Grand Junction Colorado. There will be a lunch to follow. In lieu of flowers please donate in Billie’s name to The Trevor Project at thetrevorproject.org.