ARTHUR RENFRO DAVIDSON's Obituary
Arthur Renfro Davidson, 99 and known all his life as “Boots,” died peacefully in his sleep Sunday, May 7 in Riverside. He was born in 1907 in Rock Springs, TX to James and Hester Renfro Davidson. He had 3 brothers, N. D., Don and James. In 1927 the family came to Santa Paula, CA where Boots worked for Peoples Lumber Co. It was there he met and married Mildred Drake in 1930. While living in Santa Paula, they had 2 daughters, Shirley and Bernadene. Depression times were tough and Boots felt fortunate to find work with the Union Ice Co. They moved to Moonpark where he and Mildred were both busy with community activities. He was a clerk of the Moonpark School Board for several years. With the coming availability of refrigerators the job of home delivery to ice boxes was disappearing so Boots bought a laundry and dry cleaning route that covered the Semi Valley and other parts of Ventura County. Their son James was born early in WW ll. Toward the end of the war, technology was displacing the need for his laundry delivery business and Boots decided to go into the egg business. He moved his family to Devore in 1947, where he remained the rest of his active life, first building a chicken ranch, which he later gave up to go into the wholesale egg business. He served on the Devore Water Company Board for several years and then became an employee, keeping the system running effectively. He began a tractor operation business, working mostly in Devore/Lytle Creek areas. He graded building lots, roads, trails and firebreaks. When floods or fires hit the area, Boots was always out with his tractor, helping with all kinds of emergencies. He continued “tractoring” until age 81. Besides work, Boots loved camping, fishing and boating with family and friends. He spent a great deal of time enjoying the desert and especially Lake Havasu. His wife Mildred passed away in 1987. Boots spent the last 10 years of his life in Riverside to be near his children. He was also predeceased by his brothers and his daughter Bernadene Child, who died in December 2005. Boots is survived by a son, James Davidson and wife Bonnie of Fountain Valley and a daughter, Shirley Drake Lambeth and husband Loyd of Riverside. His loving grandchildren are; David (Pamela Blake) Isaak, Huntington Beach; Richard (Sherry) Child, Highland; Amber Herold, Redlands; Katherine (Roger) Jonelis, Phoenix, AZ; Barbara (Keith) Luster, Hillsboro, OR; Kristie (Ronald Cohen) Boering, Oakland; William Davidson, San Diego; Michael (Nora) Davidson, Costa Mesa and Kelly Davidson, San Diego. His great-grandchildren are Jeffrey Luster; Stephanie and Avinash Herold; Milo and Zachary Cohen; Marisa and Samantha Davidson. Boots leaves one sister-in-law, Edith Wygant of Riverside and many nieces, nephews and special friends. Viewing will be from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, May 12 and a Chapel service at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 13 both held at Bobbitt Memorial Chapel, 1299 E. Highland Ave., San Bernardino.
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