Harriet Davis

(From Buchanan Funeral Home)

Harriet Joyce Davis, of Monett, MO, formerly of Neosho, passed away on Friday, October 2, 2026 at Cox Monett Hospital following a brief illness. She was 74.

Harriet was born on May 29, 1952 in Boston, Massachusetts to Freda (Clayman) and Joseph “Pat” Shapiro. She was the baby of the family, and was adored by her older siblings, Richard and Willa, and remained close with them throughout her life. Harriet’s family lived in Boston until she was 8 years old, when her family moved to Los Angeles, CA. She graduated from Alexander Hamilton High School in 1970.

In 1978, Harriet met Bill Davis while working as a secretary at Thistle Roller Company. They were married June 1, 1979 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and to the best of their children’s knowledge, they were not married by an Elvis impersonator. They were married for 31 years before Bill's passing in 2010. They resided in Seal Beach, CA until 1983, when they moved to nearby Long Beach. Shortly after moving, their daughter Kelly was born, joining Bill’s two adult children from his previous marriage, Carrie and Lee. In 1990, their son Taylor was born.

In 1991, the family moved from Long Beach to Sherwood, Oregon. They made their home there until 2002, when they moved to Southwest Missouri. Harriet resided in Neosho until 2024, when she moved to Lacoba Nursing Home in Monett following a stroke.

For most of Harriet’s adult life, she was a stay-at-home mom, a role she excelled at and had dreamt of since childhood. She was the mom that would sit and play with - or read to - her children for hours, take them on fun outings, volunteer in their classrooms and as a field trip chaperone, drive them to the myriad of places they needed and wanted to go without complaint, and was always willing to go the extra mile (literally and figuratively) for them in whatever way they needed her to. She loved and supported them in more ways than they will ever be able to sum up in an obituary paragraph.

Harriet was generous, loving, and welcoming to all. She wasn’t judgmental, and she was an excellent listener who always gave good advice. She was the kind of person you immediately felt comfortable with and wanted to talk to. She was also funny, and easy to laugh with. This resulted in her being “Mom” to many of her children’s friends throughout the years. It also earned her the title of “Favorite Auntie” to her niece and nephew, Cyndy and Donnie, whom she was always close to.

When her children were older, Harriet went to work at Books-A-Million in Joplin, MO, which was perfect for her, as it combined her love of books, coffee, and people. It was a job she thoroughly enjoyed, and she made many friends there.

Harriet had many interests and hobbies. She was a voracious reader, loved playing Scrabble, Uno, and Bingo, enjoyed art and music (especially country music), Chinese food, Native American and Civil War history, and relished a good ghost story. Christmas was her favorite holiday and season, and she always went above and beyond to make it magical for her family. She loved animals, and always had multiple pets. Stray animals often found their way to her door, where they were welcomed, loved, and cared for. The ashes of her beloved German Shepherd/Husky mix, Nanook “Nooky,” will be laid to rest with her.

Of all the roles Harriet had throughout her life, her very favorite was the role of Nana to her three granddaughters. They were the lights of her life, and absolutely her favorite people. She delighted in all of the requisite Nana duties of rocking, cuddling, feeding, and changing of diapers. She loved singing to, playing with, and spending time with them. She adored them, and they adored her. After her stroke, when her cognitive abilities were declining, her eyes would still light up when hearing about new accomplishments or adventures they had been on. She was so proud of them, and she loved them completely.

Harriet always shined brightest when she was with those she loved. She had such a sweet, kind, and loving spirit. She will be missed tremendously by family, friends, and everyone who had the opportunity to know her.

Harriet is survived by her daughter, Kelly Bauman and husband Devin, of Monett; son, Taylor Davis of Claremore, Okla,; stepdaughter Carrie Butler of Sun City, Ariz.,; stepson Lee Davis of Las Vegas, Nev.,; granddaughters Hannah, Natalie, and Kayley; sister, Willa Welch of San Luis Obispo, Calif,; niece, Cyndy Saliem of Paso Robles, Calif., and her family; and nephew, Donald Manzano of Grover Beach, Calif., and his family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Pat and Freda; her husband, Bill; and brother, Richard.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2026 from 5:00-7:00pm at Buchanan Funeral Home, 301 Euclid, Monett, MO. The funeral will be the following day, Friday, October 9, 2026 at 10:00am, also at Buchanan Funeral Home, immediately followed by interment at Newtonia IOOF Cemetery in Newtonia, MO. Arrangements have been entrusted to Buchanan Funeral Home, Monett.