Ruth "Jinx" Davison

DAVISON, JACOBS, MANSOUR, HAIGH, HUCKFELDT, WIEDEMANN

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 6/26/2009 at 12:10:49

Ruth (Jinx) Davison, 79, of Iowa City, passed away Thursday March 22, 2007 at Pleasantview Nursing Home in Kalona following a long illness.

Jinx was born in Jerusalem, Palestine on March 9, 1928 daughter of Rev H Jacobs and Rahme (Mansour) Jacobs. She immigrated to this country as a child, growing up in Sioux City, Iowa and later attending Luther Academy in Nebraska. She was a graduate of University of Iowa School of Nursing in 1950. Jinx was a nurse at University of Iowa hospital for 40 years working in the Emergency room and Surgery Department. She was well known for her caring, compassion and delightful sense of humor. Active in the community she worked diligently with the Democratic Party, was treasurer for Minette Doderers campaign and involved herself in all things liberal, focusing on causes of those in need. She worked for the causes of peace and justice in Palestine. She was a crisis counselor and she was invited by the Medical School to be part of the simulated patient program, which helped to teach medical students how to effectively interact with patients.

In addition she was an avid bridge player enjoying the companionship as well as a hard fought competitive game. She was a master gardener, a member of the Gardening Club and Project Green and enjoyed giving tours of her beautiful backyard garden. Fishing and boating were also her passions and the family has many memories of fishing vacations, weekends on Lake McBride and reveling in her decision after retirement to buy a pontoon boat and take friends and families for rides around Coralville Reservoir. Jinx enjoyed playing piano, teaching the jitterbug to her delighted granddaughters, and was always ready for a good joke. Her real passion was creative writing, and she left to all, some wonderful published stories.

Jinx’s home was known as a place filled with warmth and hospitality, comfort and laughter, where people of all ages gathered to enjoy their lifelong friendship and guidance from her. Her beloved friends helped give meaning to her life and became part of her extended family.

She traveled extensively in her retirement and was able to reunite with family in Palestine, highlighting a lifetime wish of hers.

But her most remarkable gifts were to her family. She was married to Don Davison in Sioux City on August 11, 1951 and they were the best of friends until his death in 1994. She leaves 2 daughters, Sue Davison (Howard Haigh) of Dubuque; Anne Davison (Ron Huckfeldt) of North Liberty, whose lives were enriched by being part of her family and 2 beloved granddaughters, Sara Wiedemann (Michael) and Shannon Davison-Haigh, both of Cedar Rapids and a brother Paul Jacobs (Pat) of Las Vegas, NV.

Jinx’s whimsical, loving nature, her endearing humor, her passion for caring for others and ability to make all feel included and loved will be her legacy. Her message to all would be to live life to its fullest, create and keep strong all the good memories and make the world a better place with your passions.

Jinx was preceded in death by her parents, husband Don, and two brothers; Alexander and Jesse Jacobs.