"So sorry about Stans psssing. He will be missed by so many who knew him."
In loving memory of
Stanley LaVerne Davidson
May 25, 1947 - August 2, 2018
Stanley LaVerne Davidson, 71, of Basco, Illinois, passed away at 1:21 AM, Thursday, August 2, 2018, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.
Stanley was born May 25, 1947, in Keokuk, Iowa, the son of Woodrow Wilson and Georgia Mae Bavery Davidson. He was united in marriage to Shirley Marie Sparrow on May 9, 1970, in Keokuk, Iowa. Stanley served in the United States Army and was a member of Warsaw VFW. He earned his Associate Degree in accounting from Carl Sandburg College in 2004. In 1965 he began work at FerroSil in Keokuk and worked there for 38 years, becoming plant supervisor, before the plant closed in 2002. He then worked at Wal-Mart.
Stanley was Past Master of Basco Lodge A.F. & A.M., current secretary of Blackhawk Lodge in Hamilton, was Thrice Potent Master of the Lodge of Perfection in the Scottish Rite from 1996 to 1998, and was Commander in Chief of the Valley of Quincy 2013 to 2015. Stanley received the Honorary 33rd Degree in the Scottish Rite in Providence, Rhode Island in 2008. He took part in many Scottish Rite Degrees in Hancock County, as well as in the Quincy Valley and served as Worshipful Master for many Masonic funeral services. He was a Past Patron of Browning Chapter OES at Denver, Illinois. Stanley served as a board member of Hamilton Rainbow Girls in the 1980s and 1990s and Quincy Rainbow Girls since 2010.
He served on the Hancock County Board for several years. He was a Village Board member of Basco, Illinois, the longest serving board member in history. He was an avid New York Yankees fan his entire life. Stanley was an amateur radio operator KA9PUZ and enjoyed traveling, Sudoku puzzles, and genealogy.
True to his spirit, Stanley was an organ and tissue donor, giving the Gift of Life.
He is survived by his wife Shirley; four children, Melissa (David) Harbin of Quincy, Melita (Stephen) Finney of Carthage, Andrew (Lissa Smith) Davidson of Basco, and Andrea (Richard) Epley of Fall Creek; eleven grandchildren, Zachary, Alexander, and Noah Harbin, Kaytan and Jordan Finney, Kara, Collin, Jacob and Ethan Davidson, and Brandon (Dakota) and Jeremy Epley; and a great granddaughter Sofia Epley. He is also survived by four sisters, Phyllis (Mike) Taylor of Granite City, Rosemary McNeil of Warsaw, Gloria (Greg) Drexelius of Edwardsville, and Barbara (Celia) Davidson of Palm Springs, California; three brothers-in-law, Allen, David, and Kevin Sparrow, a sister-in-law, Linda Davis, as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Peggy Bavery, brother Dallas Davidson, and brother-in-law Richard McNeil.
A Celebration of his Life will be at 10:00 AM Friday, August 10, 2018, at DeJong-Greaves Celebration of Life Center at 917 Blondeau Street, Keokuk, Iowa. Burial with military rites and the 33rd Degree Honor Guard will be in Basco South Cemetery.
Visitation will be after 2:00 PM Thursday with family meeting friends from 5:00 to 8:00 at the funeral home. A public Masonic Memorial Service will be at 8:00 Thursday evening.
Memorials are suggested for a Scottish Rite Scholarship to be established in his name.
Tributes
"Will always have fond memories of our youthful episodes and experiences of the Basco bunch of the Sixties!! He always was friendly and outgoing thru our adult years when we would happen to meet. My sympathy to the family. Rest In Peace. Greg Jones"
"I first knew Stanley 65 years ago in grade school and throughout high school. I recall when he and Lennie joined the Army and left for South Korea in service to our country. Time and distance are not compatible with maintaining friendships, but I would see him occasionally when I returned to Basco on an infrequent basis. He gave a memorable Masonic recitation at our father?s funeral. My sincere sympathy to his family. May his soul Rest In Peace. John Damron"
"So sorry to learn of Stanley's passing. As you reflect on this life, may you find peace and comfort. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Jerry Baker"
"Sorry to hear of Stanley's passing"
"So very sorry to hear of Stanley's passing. I admired him a great deal and he helped me out alot when I first joined the lodge. He will be greatly missed"
"Stanley was a super nice and kind man. Heaven has been blessed with him?"
"Sorry to hear of Stanleys passing I knew him from Ferro-Sil he worked with my ex Carl Andrews. I used to see him at Walmart too. So sorry for your loss he was a good man."