LINDA WELCH DAVIS
1942-2018
Linda Davis, 75, passed away March 10, 2018 after a courageous, year-long battle with cancer. Born July 25, 1942 in Buffalo, N.Y. to Robert and Mildred Welch, “Lin” and her family moved from coast to coast, eventually settling in Meyerland in the 1950s where she graduated from Bellaire High School. She married Richard Cowan and, in 1966 and ‘68, had her two sons Rob and Steven. Moving to Waco, Lin dedicated herself entirely to raising her boys, ultimately as a single mother. She returned to college at age 35, graduating in 1982 from Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business. She moved back to Houston with her sons and married her loving husband of 35 years, Larry Davis. At the height of the Texas oil bust and fresh-out-of-college in her early 40s, she bravely entered the corporate world as a state tax accountant, working for Anderson Clayton, Cooper Industries, Koch Energy, Sysco Foodservice, and other major firms until her retirement in 2004. She loved her work and her co-workers, and enjoyed the irony of having made a “C” in corporate tax, yet spending her career as a highly regarded accountant in the field. She and Larry enjoyed many years traveling together and visiting with family. She especially enjoyed their ocean cruises and semi-spontaneously mapped, nationwide road trips. Linda devoted her later years to her five grandchildren. They visited often and always requested fried chicken or quiche for dinner. As a Yankee, fried chicken was never on the menu, but all her married family were southerners and her boys’ paternal grandmother, Louise Cowan, was responsible for this recipe. From the time her boys were little, she also made the same melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies for holidays and parties.
She is survived by her husband Larry Davis, son Robert Cowan, his wife June, their children Justin, Sarah, and Justin’s wife Madeline, her son Steven Cowan, his former wife Anne, their children Caroline, Michael, and Griffin, and Anne’s husband Gordy Paez, her brother Richard Welch and wife Donna, her sister Barbara Dozier and husband Michael, nieces and nephews Deborah, Darla, Daren, Devin, and Dustin, their spouses and children, and former in-laws Jerry and Lovella Cowan.
A private memorial service will be held. Remembrances may be made to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Christian Community Service Center, or charity of choice.