Sheylah A. Davis, 74, of Rangeley, passed away on March 21 at the Hospice House in Auburn with her family by her side. She was born on Oct. 1, 1940 in Providence, R.I., the daughter of Walter and Jessica (Hobba) Annable. She attended schools in New York, New Hampshire and Maine, graduating from Lincoln Academy in Newcastle, class of 1958.
She had six children, April Anne, Kimberly Laura, Evangeline Starr, Tanja Starr, Edwin Davis, and Erika Rene.
She was an accomplished musician on the violin, piano, and bass guitar and sang professionally for several years. She was well known in the Rangeley area for her yodeling skills and entertained with the family band known as the Country Bumpkins.
Sheylah moved to Rangeley and on Sept. 11, 1976, she married Rudolph “Rudy” Davis, and they have been together for 39 years.
She joined the Rangeley Region Ambulance and served for nine years and became one of the first intermediate EMTs with IV skills in this area.
She established the Rangeley dispatch center and handled the 911 emergency dispatching for the Rangeley area until it was moved to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Farmington. She was a member of Rangeley Fire/Rescue and served for 25 years.
For several years she administered the Toys for Tots Program in the area and operated a weather station for the State Entomology Department. In 1999, she received the Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce community service award, of which she was very proud.
She was an avid animal lover and involved in many types of animal rescues, and adopted and raised over 24 cats and 15 dogs. She was a carrier for the Lewiston Daily Sun for 20 years in the Rangeley area.
She was predeceased by daughters, Kimberly and Evangeline who passed as infants of S.I.D.S; her parents; and her brother, “Redbeard.”
She is survived by her husband, Rudy; four children; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and sister, Shirley Biron and children, Philip and Valerie.
She was dearly loved by her family and will be sadly missed.
At Sheylah’s request there will be no funeral services; however, there will be a celebration of life at 11 a.m., Sat., April 25 at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 2614 Main St., Rangeley. Her ashes will be spread at her gravesite in the Evergreen Cemetery in Rangeley at the convenience of the family.
Please consider a donation in Sheylah’s memory to the Franklin County Animal Shelter, 550 Industry Rd., Farmington, ME 04938.
Arrangements are under the care of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Services, 488 Farmington Falls Rd., Farmington.
