Dr. Sandra L. Davis of Johnston, Iowa passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 13, at Arbor Springs in West Des Moines, Iowa, after a four-year journey with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 77. Sandra (Sandy) was born in Des Moines, Iowa.
She graduated from Drake University with a master’s degree in psychology, and later received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from Iowa State University. For more than 30 years, she provided psychological services, working in hospital, government, and private practice.
She married John Davis in 1977, and together raised their daughter, Sarah. As a family, they enjoyed taking summer road trips, mostly to the Colorado mountains. She felt a strong connection with Santa Fe, NM, and once talked about retiring there with John.
Sandra’s religious affiliation changed over the years. Growing up, her parents were not religious. She was exploring spirituality when met John, and when they had Sarah, she became a Methodist. They both also enjoyed learning about Shamanism and met Shamans in Mexico. After John died, she became a Mennonite and attended services at Des Moines Mennonite Church.
Sandy had several simple joys that kept her engaged through retirement: dogs, mystery novels, puzzles, chocolate, ice cream, and a clean house. She was known for her directness, practicality, deep care for those in her inner circle, and intelligence. She also loved keeping up with politics and would have been thrilled to know a woman was running for President again.
She is survived by her daughter, Sarah, and her beloved adopted rescue greyhound, Shai. A memorial service will be held on October 19, 2024, at Merle Hay Chapel in Des Moines at 2 pm. Family and friends are invited to attend. There will be an ice cream social following the service. In lieu of flowers, please choose the cause that most resonates with you and do a memorial to them.
1. Harris/Walz campaign https://kamalaharris.com/
2. Johnston Public Library Foundation https://www.cityofjohnston.com/1307/Foundation
3. Iowa Public Radio https://www.iowapublicradio.org/
Alzheimer’s and related support:
1. Hilarity for Charity www.wearehfc.org - provides virtual dementia caregiver support and education
2. Everystep - https://www.everystep.org/ provides local grief and loss support services
3. The Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org/ - provides advocacy, research, and support related to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias