Leo Davis

Leo “Swede” Davis, 93, of Papillion, Nebraska, formerly of Jefferson died Friday, December 2, 2016.

Funeral services were held Thursday, December 8, 2016 at the First Baptist Church in Jefferson with Rev. Devin Wolters officiating. Casket bearers were Al Bossman, Dan Nees, Dennis Hall, Tommy Carter, Bruce Davis and Harvey Ganoe. The congregation sang “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art” accompanied by Janice Adkins. Interment was at the Jefferson Cemetery.

Swede (Leo) Davis was born to Claude and Mabel Davis on November 27, 1923 in Jefferson, Iowa. He was one of nine children. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Ione and Dorothy; brothers: Lloyd, Don and Lyle; and his wife, Jean. He is survived by his daughter, Carol Bera and her husband Ruben; grandchildren, Wendy (Wayne) Blackwell and Shawn Ruth; great-grandchildren: Hannah, Elizabeth, Annabeth, Jordan, Eli, Lucas and Cora; many nieces, nephews and friends.

Swede grew up on the farm he was born on in Greene County and began farming himself in 1946. On September 17, 1947 he married Jean (Calder). To this union their daughter, Carol was born. The family belonged to the First Baptist Church in Jefferson.

He loved to go fishing, hunting and also mushroom hunting. Whenever he took Carol and Jean with him, he always had to pack Twinkies and Snowballs to help keep them quiet. Hunting trips meant that Carol would end up with pheasant tail feathers. Mushroom hunting meant yummy morel mushrooms cooked in butter. Swede would always offer more of his mushrooms to Carol, he was always generous like that. In his younger years, Swede liked to go to Farlin on occasion and play pinochle. He would sometimes take Carol with him and she loved getting all the attention and candy from Swede’s friends. Suddenly one day Jean decided that Carol could not go with him to play cards anymore…something to do with the language she might be hearing. Swede played on a baseball league in Farlin. Through the years he enjoyed rock hunting, polishing those rocks and making jewelry. He also was a pretty good bowler and played on a Jefferson Bowing League.

Swede was a great grandfather. Wendy and Shaun remember having fun summers with Grandma and Grandpa on the farm. They went for several summers and had a great time. Sometimes they’d go to Spirit Lake in the fifth-wheel and do some fishing. In the winter they would get to snowmobile.  Wonderful Christmases were had on the farm.

Swede was just a good guy.  He would do anything for anyone and did so many times through the years.

Swede retired in his early 60’s from farming and he and Jean moved to Jefferson. There he took up serious woodworking and made some beautiful pieces. Many people in Jefferson have some of his work. He eventually gave that up as Jean’s health deteriorated and he, too, was getting tired.

He lived the last several years in LaVista / Papillion area with Carol and Ruben and then broke his hip on Thanksgiving of 2015 and moved to Hillcrest Estates where be passed away on December 2, 2016 at the age of 93 years.  

Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, 515-386-2171.