Geraldine “Gerry” Davis-McNamee

Geraldine “Gerry” Davis-McNamee, age 88, of St Petersburg, FL, returned home to our Heavenly Father on Saturday January 27, 2024. Gerry was born on June 24, 1935 to Joseph Thomas Reese Jr. and Alma Alice Reese (née Banks) in Amherst, Ohio. She attended Amherst High School where she was a thespian, a member of the Girls’ Chorus, participated in speech contests, and acted as senior class secretary. She graduated in 1953. 
 
After high school, she worked as an executive secretary. In 1956, she met David Edward Davis, and they married on June 29, 1957. They had two children together, Kathryn Alice Davis and Karen Ann “Pebbles” Durig. Gerry was an avid seamstress, homemaker, and entrepreneur, even owning her own drapery business in the 1970s – 1990s. She also took an active role in her daughters’ activities, sewing all of the uniforms for Linda’s Lassies Drum and Baton Corp for many years. Gerry was a 4-H judge for
sewing and baking projects and loved to make quilts, clothing, and custom embroidery. Gerry also played an active role in raising her two granddaughters, Jordan and Hannah Guidish, who lovingly called her “Grammy.” She shepherded them to and from school, took them on vacation, looked after them while they weren’t in school, and always made sure they were well fed. Gerry resided in LaGrange, OH with her husband Dave until his passing in 2001.
 
Through a mutual friend at Immaculate Conception Church in Grafton, Ohio, she was introduced to Walter Charles McNamee, whom she later married on November 25, 2005. In joining this new family with Walt, she gained six children, eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. Gerry and Walt went on countless adventures together: going everywhere from Alaska to Israel and everywhere in between. Every Friday night, you could find her and Walt dancing the night
away at the Elks Lodge in St. Petersburg, FL. Gerry and Walt were married 17 years until his passing in May of 2023.
 
Gerry loved hosting, baking, and crafting, and was an active participant in many clubs in the Americana Cove community. She liked finding new recipes and always made extras for her friends and family. She loved to entertain and hosted countless gatherings over the years, making sure that everyone had a great time and left with a full belly. Gerry was the ultimate caregiver, and her absence will be felt in the hearts of everyone who knew her. 

Gerry was preceded in death by her husbands David Davis and Walter McNamee, her brother Robert, and her parents Alice and Joseph. She is survived by her daughters Kathryn and Karen “Pebbles” (Chuck), her granddaughters Jordan (Mark) and Hannah (Dan), her sisters Carol Ahlgrim and Judy Cicanese, and many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a great-great grandchild from her marriage to Walt. 

There will be a celebration of life at St. Raphael’s Church, located at 1376 Snell Isle Blvd NE in St. Petersburg, FL 33704. A viewing will be held at the church on Thursday February 1, 2024, at 10 AM, followed by a funeral mass at 11 AM. Gerry will be laid to final rest in Ohio at a later date. Please join us in celebrating our beloved Gerry as she returns home to Heaven.