Laverne F. Neely Davis

Laverne. F. Neely Davis, 91, Indianapolis, passed away December 12, 2020. Mrs. Davis was born November 18, 1929, in Indianapolis, to the late John Edward and Lillian E. (Braun) Tragesser. She was the widow of Lloyd Farnsworth Neely and Frank B. Davis.

Laverne graduated from Arsenal Technical High School and attended Marian University. She later graduated with a business degree from the Community College of Westmoreland in Pennsylvania. When her first husband died, she started Ye Old Flower Pot in Delmont, Pennsylvania, which she owned and operated for a number of years. She possessed a true artist’s spirit and served as president of the Seacoast Artists’ Guild in Surfside, South Carolina. In addition to flower arranging, she was a talented painter and was never afraid to try her hand at something new. With her gregarious spirit, she could enter a room full of strangers and leave with a room full of friends. Having lived in Indiana, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania, she gathered many friends through the years. She will be fondly remembered for her infectious smile and her caring giving spirit.

In addition to her parents and husbands, she was preceded in death by step-children, David Davis and John Davis; sister, Elizabeth Thane Sahm.

Survivors include her children, Mary Ann (Charles) Davis, Joseph Lloyd Neely, John Stephen (Jean) Neely, Daniel Alan (Rachel) Neely, David Anthony (Sandra) Neely, and Suzanne Lynn (Roy) Schiffmacher; step-children, Frank B. (Sylvia) Davis, Jr., William Davis, Patricia Davis-Milburn-Pace, James (Joy) Davis, Mary Davis, Ed (Dawn) Davis; more than 26 grandchildren; three great grandchildren.

Visitation will be on Monday, December 28, 2020, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., in the O’Riley Funeral Home, 6107 S. East Street, Indianapolis. The Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at St. Mark Catholic Church, of which she was a member. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Mark, 535 E. Edgewood Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227. Those wishing to livestream the funeral may do so by visiting the O’Riley Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/orileyfuneralhome/. Visit www.ORileyFuneralHome.com to share a favorite memory or to sign the online guest registry.