Rebecca "Becky" Mooneyham Davenport



Rebecca "Becky" Mooneyham Davenport, age 83, passed from this life at Woodbury Nursing Center on Thursday evening, June 30th, 2016, with her husband by her side, after a short but brave battle with cancer. She was a native and lifelong resident of Cannon County and a member of the Woodbury Church of Christ.

To be a nurse, by definition, means to care for, take care of, look after, tend or minister to; the epitome of a nurse, Becky, or "Sweet Mama" as she was known by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, did exactly that all of her life. Her protective, mothering nature emerged when she was a young girl as her mother died when Becky was 14 years old, and she assumed the role of caretaker for her younger brothers and sisters. Naturally, she always took wonderful care of her husband, children and grandchildren, then Becky went on to lovingly nurse her many patients as an LPN. Becky always made herself available to and was more than happy to help anyone who was in need.

She was born to the late Jesse Oscar and Maude Rebecca Moody Mooneyham on March 30, 1933, in the Iconium Community. Rebecca married Charles L. Davenport on December 23rd, 1950. Feisty, strong-willed, and determined, she worked at Armour Cheese Plant, then Colonial Shirt Factory in the pressing department until she had her children, Glenda Kaye and Douglas Charles. In 1962 Becky, along with her two sisters Betty and Annie, went to nursing school at the Good Samaritan Hospital. She continued to work there for Doctors Russell Myers and William Bryant until the hospital closed. Afterward, she worked in the Emergency Department of Stones River Hospital, and then became a home health nurse for Superior Home Health for 17 years until she retired. Becky was a long-time volunteer with the Stones River Hospital Ladies Auxiliary throughout her retirement.

Mrs. Davenport was preceded in death by her parents and siblings: James Paul, Jesse Lee, Mack, Charlie Bratten, John L., and Ralph "Buddy" Mooneyham; Willie Matt Merriman, Janie Katherine Thomas, and Mary Elizabeth Mooneyham; and her nephew Steve Reed.

She is survived by her husband of 65 ½ years and her children Glenda (Bobby) Vance and Doug (Dana) Davenport; her grandchildren, who were her pride and joy, Mark (Stephanie) and Michael (April) Vance, and Erin and Samantha Davenport; great-grandchildren Reese, Ryder, Renley and Makenzie Vance, and Dean Davenport. Also surviving are her siblings, with whom she was always very close, Roy Mooneyham, Betty (Ralph) Reed, Lovie Phillips, and Annie Bosworth, all of Woodbury; sister-in-law Martha (Ken) Baird of Madison; brothers-in-law Robert Kenneth, Billy Joe, and Jimmy Merriman and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She will be missed tremendously, and leaves behind a lifetime of great memories for her loved ones to cherish.

Woodbury Funeral Home, 615-563-2311 or www.woodburyfuneralhome.net