Jane Williamas Davidson

JANE WILLIAMS DAVIDSON, 78, a long-time resident of North Little Rock, died Jan. 20, 2018. Jane was a wonderful wife, mother and dear friend to many. She spent her youth in Beech Grove, Ark, where her late father, Tyler Williams, owned and operated the local cotton gin and farmed. Her late mother, Hetta Williams, operated the family general store. Jane helped them both run the family business--picking cotton, driving tractors, running the cotton gin and working at the family general store. Throughout her life, she remained close to her family and friends in northeast Arkansas. Jane was an excellent high school athlete, earning all-state honors as a point guard from Greene County Tech High School. Thereafter, she attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1962. Jane's proudest accomplishments included raising her two sons with her husband Walter Warner Davidson, to whom she was married for 39 years prior to his death in 1999. Jane put her major in-home economics and nutrition to good use. She loved to cook for her friends and family and her chocolate cake and pies will be missed. She also used her education to serve the North Little Rock school system, working to improve nutrition standards for school lunches and serving as president of the PTA for several years. An important reason for her involvement with education was to lend support to racial integration of the North Little Rock school system that began in 1974. Her Christian faith guided her throughout her life. She was a charter member of Indian Hills United Methodist Church that was founded in 1966 and later merged into the First United Methodist Church of North Little Rock. She remained active in that church throughout her life as a member of the United Methodist Women and as a charter member of the "Seekers" Sunday school class. Jane loved all that life had to offer. She enjoyed snow skiing, tennis, swimming, gardening, and reading. In particular, she loved to travel with her family throughout the United States, Europe, South America, Russia, Canada and the Middle East. After Walter passed away, she enjoyed a special relationship with her friend Thomas Ahart, and they continued traveling around the world and enjoying life together. Jane is survived by her only two sons, Derrick Mark (Angela) Davidson of Rogers and Darrin Franklin (Mary Ann Jackson) Davidson of Memphis; her three grandchildren: Landon, Warner, and Barton; one brother, James Franklin (Sherrie) Williams; and two nieces, Christie (Jamie) Tinnin of Fayetteville and Shana (Michael) Renner of Austin, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018, at First United Methodist Church of North Little Rock, located at 6701 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock, Ark., 72116, with Reverend Lynn Kilbourn officiating. Visitation will be held in the chapel at the church an hour preceding the service. The internment will be held that afternoon at 2:30 p.m. at the Gainesville Cemetery in Gainesville, Ark. Arrangements are by Roller-Owens Funeral Home (501) 791-7400. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of North Little Rock. Online Guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/owens.