Wilma Davis of Rock Port recently turned 96. She joked that since she’s made it this far, she might as well try for 97.

This picture of Wilma and her country school classmates was taken outside of Pawnee City, Nebraska, in 1937. Wilma said she was the one with the ornery look on her face (pictured in the middle at left).

Wilma and her family always had horses. Here she is pictured in her later teen years with her horse, Prince.

Wilma graduated from Malvern High School in 1945 and has kept her graduation invitation and her diploma in pristine condition.

Pictured is the newly married couple, Leonard “Max” Davis with his bride, Wilma. The couple married October 3, 1946, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Wilma and Max celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with their children, Steve, Dennis, Gloria, and Gary. Their daughter, Karen, is not pictured.

Having entered this world on March 26, 1928, Wilma Jean (Groff) Davis recently celebrated her 96th birthday. Wilma was born to Frank and Lena (Blankenship) Groff and had seven siblings. She was just a tiny tot when the Great Depression hit and Americans struggled to make ends meet. Wilma and her family lived in Pawnee City, Nebraska, on a farm, raising cattle, sheep, and horses, and growing crops. Times were hard, but she and her family made do and always appreciated everything they had.

Wilma attended a country school for seven years before her family moved to Seneca, Nebraska. They then moved to Peru, Nebraska, her eighth grade year and then Malvern, Iowa, where she attended high school and graduated in 1945. Seventy-nine years later, Wilma’s graduation invitations, announcement, and diploma and a fabric M for Malvern are still in pristine con-dition.

Wilma’s father Frank ran sale barns and Wilma began helping him in the office at age 12. Her skills transferred over to employment in a few different banks, posting checks. She also worked at Missouri Beef Packers in Phelps City.

Wilma and her friends growing up, and siblings, called themselves the “War Kids,” as so many went off to fight in WWII, including some of her brothers and her future husband. Wilma met Leonard “Max” Davis and they married October 3, 1946, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where Max was stationed in the U.S. Army. The family lived in Alexandria, Virginia, and Wilma stayed home taking care of their children (which would eventually number five). In the sixties, Max was in law enforcement and was the deputy sheriff under Joe Gaines in Atchison County and then later became the sheriff for a time. The family moved to Plainview, Texas, Malvern and Tabor, Iowa, Kirksville, Missouri, Illinois, and Burlington Junction, Missouri, before coming back to Rock Port. Once back “home,” they ran Trail Boss in Rock Port from 1980 to the late 90s, even renovating and reopening after a partial collapse. They later ran Jay’s Nest Restaurant. Wilma remarked that she didn’t miss the work, but she really missed the people she saw on a daily or weekly basis.

When not working, Wilma and her children enjoyed riding their horses. Wilma has always had horses and passed her love for them on to her own family. A barn beside their house in Rock Port used to house them all. For obvious reasons, Wilma was part of a saddle club and the Ralph Greer American Legion Auxiliary in Rock Port.

In her later years, Wilma has enjoyed visiting with friends, crocheting, and reading. She said she finally has time to read and is making up for lost time. She’s kept busy keeping her home, which she has lived in for over 60 years, in shipshape and organizing all her family’s photos and mementos with dates and names. Her family now includes seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren and pictures of them are proudly displayed throughout the house. Wilma attributes her longevity to staying active and working hard. She said, “I’ve always been healthy and have stayed healthy. I made it to 96 so I might as well try for 97.”