Newington Obituary: Jean Davis, 79

Jean E. "Jeanie" Davis, 79, of Newington, died on Thursday, March 16, 2017, at the Midstate Medical Center in Meriden, surrounded by family members.

Born in New Britain on October 8, 1937, she was the daughter of the late Rudolph and Anna (Linik) Dornfried and widow of the late Manley "Dave" Davis. Jean was the youngest of three sisters, themselves the daughters of one of three sisters, who each inherited from their mother and aunts a charitable soul, a mischievous sense of humor and a love of family, cheerful chatter, and loud laughter.

In her teenage years, she loved and excelled at roller skating, earning the title of Connecticut State Novice Dance Champion. A longtime Newington resident, Jean began her career at Nutmeg Auto Supply in Hartford, and for many years until her retirement was an accountant with the Newington Board of Education.

Later, in her retirement years, she combined her love of jewelry and gifts with her love of chit chat, volunteering in the gift shop at New Britain General Hospital and becoming a fixture behind the counter at the Newington Jewelry WearHouse, acquiring many fans as she regaled them with the stories of her adventures, her cats, and her many beloved nieces and nephews by blood or friendship. She volunteered every year with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and the Connecticut RACE IN THE PARK.

In her free time, Jeanie loved musical theater, quilting, travel, and gabbing. She took trips to Alaska and Cape Cod to visit family, New Hampshire and Arizona, Germany, and even Slovakia to attend a wedding of one of those adopted nephews. She enjoyed shorter trips to the New Britain McDonald's every Wednesday night to socialize and hear live music, and for decades gathered biweekly for cards and conversation with a longtime group of family and friends from the East Side of New Britain.

Over the years, she showed devotion to many pets, administering a daily insulin shot to Missy the Diabetic Dog, and doting over several cats, none more so than her last one, Mavis Davis.

She collected Hummel figurines, jigsaw puzzles, Christmas decorations, cat statuettes, baubles, bangles . . . and baudy mechanical toys. And she really, really loved collecting diamond jewelry. Her favorite outfit was "denim and diamonds – because if you've got diamonds you can wear them with whatever you damn well please."

Most of all, though, Jeanie collected people. As with diamonds, she made every one of them feel like her best friend. Now, at every card game and family gathering, there'll be a little less sparkle.

Besides her parents and her husband, Jean was predeceased by a brother, Raymond "Smokey" Dornfried. Left to honor and cherish her memory are her sisters, Patricia Timbrell of New Britain and Ruth Dalena of Bristol. She also leaves her cherished nieces and nephews Brian and Jeannie Timbrell, Cori and Steve Butler, Vincent Dalena and Laurie Parmentier, David Dalena and Brian Patton, Steven Dalena and Teresa Carpino, Cheryl Dalena Lunceford and Lester Lunceford, Cynthia Dalena, and Douglas Dalena, and grandnieces and grandnephews Heather Timbrell, Ashley and Corey Bosse, and Tyler Butler.

Her life will be celebrated on Thursday, March 23, at 11:00 am at Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Newington Memorial, 20 Bonair Ave, Newington. Her family will receive visitors prior to the service from 10:00 to 11:00 am. Interment will be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Connecticut Breast Health Initiative (ctbhi.org) or Susan G. Komen New England (komennewengland.org).