Toni Davenport Fudge

Toni Davenport Fudge Toni Davenport Fudge, age 93, passed away in her home peacefully on December 11, 2013, with her son, Felix, by her side. She was born on June 2, 1920 in Creswell, North Carolina to William & Mima Jane Davenport. While she was born into a farm family with 10 children in the rural South, and raised in very humble circumstances, she became an extraordinarily successful business woman who lived an elegant, vivacious life in major cities throughout the United States. At age 20, in 1940, she left home, traveled to Baltimore, Maryland to Arthur Murray's Dance Studio and became a dance teacher. She was offered a job at 80 cents an hour during the job interview, but asked what the hourly rate was if she were a man. The director answered that the men received 80 cents per hour for the same work because "Arthur Murray believed in women getting equal pay." Mr. Murray and Toni shared the same ideals regarding the treatment of female employees. She became so unique and successful in the dance business, that the company transferred her to its famed Studio on Willshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. After 4 years at the L.A. Studio, in 1946, the company approached her with an unheard of guarantee of $85.00 a week and plane fare if she would travel to Vancouver, British Colombia, for six weeks to help promote the company's new dance Studio. Her presence became so valuable to that new Studio, that the company compelled her to stay a full year. Next, the company tapped her to be the Manager of its Studio in Ft. Worth, Texas. She managed to do all of this moving even though, by this time, she had a young daughter. Her only daughter, Geneva Davenport Mueller, was born on June 27, 1941 and traveled with her mother throughout the Country in Toni's early days in the dance business. As an adult, Geneva entered the dance business as a dancer, instructor, area director and ultimately an owner of her own Studio. Geneva and her husband, John, owned 6 Studios. Following in, and even expanding on, her mother's success, Geneva became the first female area director. Although Mr. Murray adored what Toni had achieved for his company,when she expressed to him that she wanted to own her own franchise Studio for his company, he explained he "wasn't sure a woman could own and run a dance school without a man to back her up." Mr. Murray also was not convinced a woman could run a dance franchise if she were to become married, and he did not accept Toni's promise that she would never remarry. But, to reward Toni for her unmatched contribution to his company, Mr. Murray promoted Toni to Supervisor of his New York Studio in Manhattan.In 1950, she moved to Florida and brought even more phenomenal success to Arthur Murray's company by successfully opening 9 new Studios in Miami, Lakeland, Orlando, Surfside, Clearwater and St. Petersburg. Her St. Petersburg Studio was originally located on the rooftop of Webb City and later on Central Avenue and 4th Street North. Even as of 1960, she was not only the first pioneer woman that Arthur Murray allowed to own one of his franchises, but she remained one of only 5 women to do so in an organization that had exploded into 500 Studios. She was also named the first female Regional Director of the company which involved her overseeing Studios from Puerto Rico to New Orleans. Despite her promise to Mr. Murray that she would never remarry, in 1959, she met and married Dr. Felix Preston Fudge. Together, Dr. Fudge and Toni built a home that remains today at 4 Brightwaters Circle, NE, in the Snell Isle neighborhood of St. Petersburg. By 1960, she and Felix had their son, Felix Davenport Fudge. Her life in St. Petersburg was vivacious. She was the first woman allowed to join the formally all-male Pinellas County Committee of 100. She was President of the Symphony Guild back in the early 1970's. She was a member of the Stuart Society, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Central Christian Church where she headed up the Evangelism Explosion program, and later Fifth Avenue Baptist. Toni was also Co-Chairman of St. Petersburg's Centennial Ball and Chairman of the Queen of Hearts Ball. In addition, she became actively involved in the Pearl Buck Foundation, and the Museum of Fine Arts as Chairman of the Museum Mart. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Felix Preston Fudge, her parents, William & Mima Jane Davenport, and several siblings including her brother, Joseph P. Davenport. She is survived by her daughter, Geneva Davenport Mueller, of Sarasota, son, Felix Davenport Fudge of St. Petersburg, four grandchildren, Michelle Lea of Sarasota, Felix Preston Fudge, II, ("Preston") Felix Edwin Fudge III ("Trey") and Felix Davenport Fudge, Jr. ("Daven") all of St. Petersburg, her nephew Dr. Jeffrey Davenport, her niece, Joyce Janis of St. Petersburg, her sisters Hope Nocello & Naomi Gargano, from Virginia, sister-in-law, Mrs. Elton (Peggy) Smith of Dothan, Alabama, son-in-law, John Mueller of Sarasota, daughter-in-law, Donna J. Fudge of St. Petersburg, and two great grandchildren, Chelsea & Connor Lea of Sarasota. Toni's family will be forever grateful to Toni's caregivers, Laurie Marshall, Linda Stills, Yvonne Jackson and Elle Aragon, who attended to her every need during her last years. There will be a Memorial Reception on Sunday, December 15, 2013 from 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. at Toni's home at 4 Brightwaters Circle, NE, St. Petersburg.