Dorothy Popham Cox Davis

Dorothy C. Davis of Salem, Virginia died March 2, 2014 at the age of 92. She was born on February 25, 1922 at Harris Hollow Farm, Washington, Virginia, the only child of Benjamin R. and Jessie Harris Cox. In 1950, the town of Washington, Virginia elected Mrs. Davis, known as "Dotsy" by her many friends, as the first woman mayor with an all-woman town council in the United States. Engendering much national and international attention, Mrs. Davis, along with her town council of Robbie Critzer, Achsah Miller, Elizabeth Racer, Dorothy Hawkins, Louise Miller and Ruby Jenkins, was prominently featured in the media of the 1950s. In addition to securing financial security for the town water system, her administration replaced street lights, cleaned the littered streets, and curbed stray dogs. Serving as mayor for 20 years, she frequently hosted foreign dignitaries on behalf of the State Department as an example of small agricultural, grass roots government in action. She lived in Florida and Virginia, after her husband of 42 years, George H. Davis, Jr., died in 1982. She moved to Tazewell, VA in 1995 when she married J. Rodes Brown, formerly of Sperryville, Virginia. She later moved to the Roanoke Valley to be near her daughter, Normie Dickerson. She will be remembered by her many friends and acquaintances not only for her engaging personality and extraordinary presence, but for her love of politics and current events, early American history, especially related to George Washington, namesake of Washington, Virginia, "The First Washington of Them All" and family genealogy. A woman of wide ranging interests, she loved world travel, bridge, entertaining, gardening, garden design, flower arranging and judging floral competitions. She was also instrumental in creating the Annual Fall House Tour and Dried Flower Sale for Trinity Episcopal Church in Washington in October 1955 so that the church could raise funds for a new kitchen; the event still continues annually. As a game show fan, she was a contestant on "To Tell the Truth" and "The Big Surprise." In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her son, George H. Davis, III. She leaves behind her daughters, Normie Dickerson of Salem, VA, Dottie Jones of Prosper, TX, and Cil Knutsen of Lakewood, OH; 7 grandchildren, Lynn Carmichael, Ben Dickerson, Hamlin Jones, Cal Jones, Melissa Vayra, Hiter Davis and Dorothy Knutsen; and 10 great grandchildren. The family wishes to thank Snyder Nursing Home in Salem, Virginia for the loving care they gave her for the last 3 years. A graveside memorial service will be held in Washington, Va at a later date. Memorial gifts may be made to Salem Museum, Friends of the Salem Library, Rappahannock Historical Society, 328 Gay St, Washington, VA 22747 or Tazewell Public Library 310 East Main St., Tazewell, VA 24651. An online guestbook is available by visiting www.johnmoakey.com.