September 29, 1965 - November 16, 2022 -Â Jody Lynn Davis, 57, of Salem, Oregon, passed away unexpectedly, and much too soon, November 16, 2022 due to complications from knee surgery. To all who know and love her, these few words are not enough to encapsulate her life or spirit.
Jody is survived by her husband, James Davis; daughter, Lindy Johnson; parents, Bob and Cheri Forbus, Dennis Wollen (sister Amy Detamore), Linda and Larry Johnson (mother and father in-law); sisters, Shelly (Chris) Dickson and Bobbi (Doug) Martindale; nieces, Kassandra, Josie, Sydney, and Chloe; and two grandnieces.
Jody was born in North Bend, Oregon on September 29, 1965. Jody graduated from North Bend High School in 1983. She attended Portland State for a year before transferring to Western Oregon State College (now WOU) to pursue a degree in education. In 1988, Jody earned a Bachelor of Science in English Language Arts and education and later a Reading Specialist endorsement.
Jody married her soulmate, Jim Davis, on September 5, 2015, a match they both knew was meant to be on their first date, in a beautiful fall ceremony.
Jody’s career in education spanned 34 years teaching high school and middle school English and working as an instructional mentor and reading specialist. She began her teaching career at Cascade High School in Turner, Oregon where she taught English and was involved in numerous activities including drama productions. She also worked for numerous years at Wood Middle School in Wilsonville, Oregon.
The remainder of her teaching career was spent at Mountainview Middle School in Beaverton, Oregon where she taught English language arts and Humanities, worked as an instructional mentor, and pursued her most loved role as a reading specialist. One of Jody’s greatest talents was the ability to match a reluctant reader to the book that turned that student into a reader.
There was nothing better to her than seeing the smile on a student’s face when they excitedly told her about finishing their first book or seeing the reading spark ignite for the first time. Jody was an exceptional teacher and mentor to both students and staff alike.
Jody had many joys - some life-long, some fairly new: reading a good mystery, summer vacation and bobbing in her pool; vintage cars (let’s talk about a pearl white 1967 Mustang!), the ocean, camping, her fifth wheel at the coast, kayaking, her pets: Ringo, Ryder, Chase, Sam, Penny, Ella, Gus; The Bunco Babes, collecting anything to do with mid-century modern, Words with Friends, Pegs and Jokers, Bananagrams.
Jody loved her people and her life, especially where her husband and daughter were concerned. She was the glue that held all of us together: family, friends and colleagues. Jody was a soft place to land when a soft place was needed; the voice of reason or of hope. She had an infectious laugh and a quirky little grin and loved to use both! When Jody entered a room, she lit it up and filled it with her spirit. Her passing leaves a hole in our hearts and a void in our lives. Jody will be sorely missed.
The family would like to thank Salem Hospital emergency and ICU for their care of Jody and her family.
A celebration of life open house is scheduled for Saturday, January 14, 2023 at 2959 Vick Ave. NW, Salem, OR 97304, home of Jim and Jody Davis, from noon to 4 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation in Jody’s name to the Start Making a Reader Today (SMART) program at give.smartreading.org.
