Frances Tucker Davis

Davis, Frances Tucker "Fran", 83, of St. Petersburg, died Saturday (March 30th, 2013) of a heart attack at Arlington Memorial Hospital in Arlington, Texas. Mrs. Davis was born in Saline County Arkansas September 9th, 1929. She earned her degree in nursing in 1951 from the University of Tennessee Baptist Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. While working as an OR nurse at Methodist Hospital in Tennessee she met and married her husband in 1954, David Kern Davis, MD, a pathologist. She and her husband moved to Saint Petersburg, Florida in 1954 where Dr. Davis headed the pathology department at St. Anthony's Hospital. She was a member of the Saint Anthony's Hospital Auxiliary, where she served as a past president, member of the Junior League of Saint Petersburg, Stuart's Society of the Museum of Fine Arts and was a member of the Saint Anthony's Hospital Women in Philanthropy. She was in the Hall of Fame of the Women's Service League of the Best Groomed. She was an avid sports fan of both professional and college athletics including the Arkansas Razorbacks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Tampa Bay Rays. Since moving to the state of Florida her ultimate passion became the University of Florida fighting Gators and throughout many years attended both football and basketball games, both home and away. She supported the Gators with her high styled orange and blue wardrobe and unique Gator jewelry. All four of Mrs. Davis's children graduated from the University of Florida and four of her grandchildren have graduated or are attending the University of Florida. When not cheering on the Gators she was an accomplished bridge player and was a member of the Saint Petersburg Country Club and Saint Petersburg Yacht Club. She was a generous person who donated her time and talent to numerous organizations within the community over many years. She worked as a poll worker and as a volunteer for the Republican Party for many years in the community. She was known for her zest for life which was infectious. She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years in November of 2005. She is survived by four children and their spouses: Twila and Kern Davis MD, Jane and Sam Norton, Ria and Bill McQueen and Doctors Katie and Steve Kennedy; a brother: Bobby A. Tucker and his wife Joyce Z. Tucker; and 12 grandchildren: Evan J. Norton, Lauren and Jordon Andrews, Kara C. Norton, Morgan M. McQueen, Clare A. McQueen, Jenna F. McQueen, Hannah K. Davis, Sydney E. Davis, Davis O. Kennedy, Hope M. Kennedy, Grace E. Kennedy, Dale J. Kennedy. *Donations may be made in her name to St. Anthony's Foundation, 1200 7th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33705.