Puxico says goodbye to beloved teacher, 'Mama Davis'

“She was an unforgettable soul Puxico lost way too soon,” was how former student Kylie Miller described teacher Barbie Davis, affectionately known by many as “Mama Davis.”

She passed away Sept. 28 at the end of a battle with chronic illness and after 30 years as an educator, mostly with Puxico School District. District Superintendent Cindy Crabb recounted her strong impact on the student body over the decades.

“She was like a school mom,” she said.

Davis

Crabb noted Davis would always participate in spirit events and go to students’ sports games. She also coached cheerleading and voleyball in addition to helping with the basketball program.

Given the length of time she had been with the district, “For some kids, they had second-generation connections,” Crabb said.

Following the news of her death, the student body came together to wear the color she loved the most: pink.

Miller said, “She was like a second mom to me.”

She recalled Davis’ radiant smile and cheerful attitude that always brightened her day.

“She never failed to light up the room,” Miller added.

Another former student, Kaitlyn Beal, said Davis was always there for her in difficult times.

“I’ll definitely miss all of her advice,” Beal affirmed.

Now studying at Central Methodist University, she hopes to follow in Davis’ footsteps in education.

“I strive to be a teacher just like she was,” Beal added.

According to Miller, Davis inspired everyone she met.

“She had such a big impact on everyone,” she expressed. “Her advice was like no other...She always had the biggest smile ever.”

“She would always listen,” Beal concluded. “She was always there for us.”

Students and faculty bid farewell to a pillar of Puxico schools at a funeral service Oct. 3. Davis is survived by her husband and two sons.