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Pam Davis
- Published: January 19, 2023
Pam Davis, of Yellow Springs, died Jan. 1, 2023, as a consequence of a stroke suffered in December 2022 and complications of COVID. She was 70 years old.
Pam was born Feb. 11, 1952, in Dayton, Ohio, to Juanita Brandt Pettit and Richard Pettit. She was raised in working-class East Dayton by her mother and grandparents. Pam graduated from Wilber Wright High School, attended Sinclair Community College and eventually earned a B.A. from Antioch McGregor University in 1989 and a master’s in social work from The Ohio State University in 1995. She served for 25 years as a social worker at the Dayton Veterans Administration, where she specialized in the mental health needs of returning veterans. She retired from the VA in 2018.
Pam was a rebellious, outrageous, warrior woman who, on more days than not, took some action to make change. Social work was not her profession, it was her calling. Pam was a loving wife, mother and grandmother; a kind and generous friend; and a dedicated animal rescuer. She was unwavering in her efforts to right wrongs, help people in need and promote a more just, sane, anti-racist world. A partial list of organizations that benefited from her involvement includes: Dayton Welfare Rights, the Miami Valley Power Project, Artemis Domestic Violence Center, H.U.M.A.N, later H.U.M.A.N. Organizing Committee, House of the People Homeless Shelter, Greene Environmental Coalition and Afro-American Cultural Week, or A.A.C.W. She served on the boards of the Yellow Springs Human Relations Council and the Yellow Springs Friends Care Center.
Pam is survived by her husband of 30 years, Neal Crandall; her sons, Michael Davis (Vicky), from her marriage to Charles Davis, and Giovanni Ramos (Sabrina), from her marriage to Riccardo Ramos; stepson Benjamin Crandall; her grandchildren, Joshua Davis, Lily, Alex, Felix and Kaia Ramos; and her brother Richard. Her family and her many, many friends and fellow activists loved her and will miss her.
A memorial service will be held Feb. 11, 2023, at 2 p.m., in the South Gym of the Wellness Center. All are welcome. Contributions to refreshments are being coordinated by Susan Hyde, susanhyde@aol.com.
6 Responses to “Pam Davis”
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Dear Neal and family, Count me among the many friends and fellow activists who loved Pam and will miss her, dearly. I can’t remember when I met Pam, but in my memories I can see he shining face at La Case del Pueble, at anti-Nuke rallies, anti-racist rallies, H.U.M.AN. meetings and celebrations and at your lovely home outside of Yellow Springs. Her radiant smile will shine on forever in my memory. Rest in power, warrior friend!
My heartfelt condolences to you Neal. I will miss Pam and her warm presence, particularly since she knew my late beloved brother, Michael. May her memory be a blessing.
I love the picture of Pam w/ her pussy hat. Looks like courthouse square, Dayton. Oh the demonstrations and actions at that fair square!! Pam was a sister to so many of us! Fly, dear soul, fly! Until we meet again….
My loving strong willed neighbor will be missed! Julie and I are always just across the street for Neal. I loved every one of our conversations. Thanks for all your encouragement with my VA healthcare journey. We will celebrate when we meet again!
What an amazing Lady, with a heart of gold. She did her social work for humans & 4 legged ones, without fanfare. She helped so much when Alan Gillespie’s Dad, aka Grandpa Mac passed. She just flawlessly worked her magic on so many fronts. It’s amazing to see all the organizations she was involved in, & all the various causes she was right there. So many items she took to the streets, to join protests against injustice. She did it in Molly Ivan’s style. I loved her passion in that way. She loved her kids & the grandkids. I could go on. She was some kind of superhero. Although we were not blood family, we came to feel like family to each other. I shed lots of tears, when I heard of her passing, such a great loss of an amazing person. Speaking of amazing, her husband Neal has been calling us
To check in on how we are doing, in some major medical items, when he was freshly in the loss of his beloved wife. I hope all of his local circle of friends really pull together to shower him with all the support he needs, not just now but for long term. Rest In Peace dear Sister, you shown so brightly, the light you shed, shines on forever.
I think of Pam as person of intersecting circles. All the people she touched, all the issues Pam worked on, all the hell she raised to make this a kinder and more fun world. And now we take on her example and keep the circles rippling out with that special warm energy that is Pam.