Ila Mae Davenport

Ila Mae "Ike" Davenport passed away Wednesday, December 8, 2021, at Meadowlark Pointe Assisted Living in Cozad at the age of 94 years and 10 months.  Ike was born January 31, 1927, at the family farmstead in Guide Rock, Nebraska. She graduated from Guide Rock High School and attended the University of Nebraska, where she was a proud member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority. She returned to Guide Rock to teach before uniting in marriage to Gerald Davenport on August 22, 1948.  Their marriage was blessed with three children, Dan, Randy and Kathy.

Upon moving to Cozad in the late 50's, Ike began her extended career teaching 5th grade at East Elementary for 29 years. While being a Mother of 3, a wife, and teaching full time, she enrolled in evening and weekend classes to graduate from Kearney State College with a teaching degree in the mid 60's.  Ike was a caring, dedicated and passionate teacher. Her students will fondly remember that she made learning fun; activities like painting a large map of the U.S. on the playground to learn all the states and capitals or setting up her son's plastic soldiers game to learn about the battlefields of the civil war. At the end of each school year, her 5th grade students would write down predictions for their future.  Prior to their high school graduation, she would take these predictions to the high school and meet with the students to laugh and enjoy their 5th grade predictions. You could rarely go anywhere in Cozad without one of her former students stopping her to say hello and reminiscing about their time in her class.  

Ike was always a big supporter of education. She helped train student teachers in her classroom. She was especially proud that every one of her kids and grandkids graduated from college, including some with graduate degrees. Each month the grandkids were in college she mailed them $25 for spending money, but they had to call or write and thank her before she would send the next month’s check. Ike and Red were long time contributors to the Wilson Public Library, receiving the "Make Your Mark on Cozad" award in 2017.

Ike enjoyed golf, tennis, playing cards, crafting and traveling.  Red and Ike traveled throughout the world, visiting every continent but one. Christmas was one of her favorite times as she decorated the house with her extensive Santa collection. The fireplace mantle was covered with Christmas stockings she hand-made for each of her kids and their spouses, as well as all her grandkids. Ike was a dedicated wife, Mother, Grandmother, and friend. No matter how busy life was, she attended every school activity and sporting event her kids and grandkids were involved in, no matter how far away it might be. She will be fondly remembered by her children's friends and parents as they were always one big happy family. She was known for cutting the Cozad baseball team’s hair before they were allowed to play in the regional baseball tournament and much to her son's dismay, she even cut the hair of an opposing player so he was allowed to play!!  Her kids and grandchildren will cherish the many photo albums and personal scrapbooks she made for them.

Ike enjoyed working at the Church Thrift Shop with her many wonderful friends. She was a faithful member of the Red Hats' Society, United Methodist Church, and treasured her sisters in PEO.  Ike and Red spent their winters in Lake Havasu, Arizona, for over 20 years.  It allowed her to practice her golf so she could come back in the spring and beat everyone on the golf course, especially during the Ohmstede reunion "Maggie Open" golf tournament.

Ike enjoyed her life at Meadowlark Pointe.  The staff and friends she made were so wonderful, especially those that would stop and play cards with her! On special occasions, she would share her "valued" chocolate with staff and friends!

Ike was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Gerald "Red" Davenport, brothers Ward (Verna), Lewie (Mary) Don (Evelyn), sisters Eloise (Art) Snick (Bud); sister-in-law Irene (Virgil) Norwood and brother-in-law Charles Paulger.  She is survived by her children, Dan Davenport, Moscow, Idaho; Randy (Leah) Davenport, Cave Creek, Arizona; Kathy (Al) Nelson, Crofton, Nebraska; brothers Daryl (Roz) Ohmstede, Hardin, Montana; Roger (Sandy) Ohmstede, Southlake, Texas; sister-in-law Mary Ann Paulger, Fremont, Nebraska; 9 treasured grandchildren, Kimberly, Kristina, Nathan, Katie, Alex, KC, Dustin, Brock and Brooke; and numerous treasured nieces and nephews.

Her presence will be missed and memories of her treasured. Ike's wishes were to be cremated. No memorial service is immediately planned.  The family encourages everyone to buy a book to donate to the school in honor their favorite teacher. Memorials are suggested to the Wilson Public Library.

A memorial service will be held Friday, August 26, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at the Cozad United Methodist Church with Pastor Doug Gahn officiating.