Zola Nellie Hemstreet-Davis was born on November 7, 1917 and passed away November, 8, 2015, a day after her 98th birthday. She was born in Portland, Oregon and lived most of her life in Costa Mesa and Avila Beach, California, and thirty-five years ago retired to Jacksonville, Oregon.
She is survived by four children; Thomas, Evan, Marsha and Johnnie, five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter, and a great-great-grandson, due on Dec, 31st.
A graveside service was held in the Historic Jacksonville Cemetery, where she was buried next to her beloved husband, Tom, who passed away fourteen years earlier, in a site they had chosen after moving to Jacksonville. Pastor Wes from Life Path Nazarene Church officiated and Jeff Kloetzel sang two songs, Gravity and Amazing Grace. Two of her grandchildren, Cammy Davis and Teri Harris read testimonials.
About her grandmother, Jacksonville artist Cammy Davis who was also Zola’s main caretaker for the past five years said, “Gramma walked through the world with a love for God and for her family and she has taught us all lessons we will never forget. Living with Gramma these past few years gave me a chance to be the artist I always wanted to be. I will be forever grateful. The last thing I said to her before she went to heaven was I love my Gramma. I don’t know if she heard it, but I know she knows it.”
Granddaughter Teri Harris said, “Gramma had been a constant part of my life since I was a little girl. She was a great Christian woman. I remember her teaching Sunday school every Sunday for most of her life. She made quilts, mentored families, and gave all of herself to others for her whole life. She was a faithful wife to her beloved husband, Tom, a loving mother to her children and a caring grandmother to her grandkids and great-grandkids.”