Arline Dorothy Davids, 86, of Cedar Falls, died Sunday morning, March 19, 2006, following a lengthy illness, at Parkview Nursing Home in Waterloo, where she had been a resident.
Arline was born May 1, 1919, in Council Bluffs, to John and Alma Gilchrist. She graduated from Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln High School in 1937 and then attended the University of Nebraska in Omaha. After receiving her bachelor's degree, she attended graduate school at Iowa State Teachers College and at the University of Iowa, where she received her master's degree. On August 22, 1943, she married Raymond Edward Davids in Council Bluffs. After their marriage, they resided in Cedar Falls where Arline, a lifelong dedicated educator, taught at several area schools including Price Laboratory School and Lincoln Elementary School in Cedar Falls and Black Hawk Elementary School in Waterloo. Arline was a devout Christian and was an active member of College Hill Lutheran Church and its women's fellowship groups. She is survived by three sons, John (Joyce) of Central City, Paul (Linda) of Pella, and Donald (Brenda) of Kansas City, Kansas; one daughter, Marcia (Joel) Gackle of Lewisville, Texas, twelve grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond; and a grandson, Adrian Dudley.
Arline was a kind, loving, caring person whose main focus in life centered on her spiritual beliefs, her family, and her friends. Arline's never-ending faith, strength, and special smile were an inspiration to her family, friends, and countless others. She loved her family, friends, and always searched for the good in everyone. Arline was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandparent who will be dearly missed. Death may have concluded Arline's physical life on Earth; however, she will continue to live in the hearts and souls of all those who knew her. The family wishes to extend a special thank you to Pastor Ogilvie; College Hill Lutheran Church; her many friends; the loving and caring staff at Parkview Nursing Home; the wonderful people at Cedar Valley Hospice; and to the numerous health care specialists who assisted her during her extended illness.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at College Hill Lutheran Church, with burial in Fairview Cemetery, both in Cedar Falls. Friends may call from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Richardson Funeral Home, with the family present from 2 to 4 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the family to be used for the purchase of stained-glass windows for College Hill Lutheran Church.
Copyright Waterloo Courier, March 24, 2006, page A8.