LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Thurs. Jan. 17, 1974

DR. ONIDA DAVIS ABBOTT

Dr. Onida Davis Abbott passed away in Gainsville, Florida, October 12, 1973, and was buried Monday, October 14, 1973, in Gainsville. Dr. Abbott was 85 years of age at the time of her death.

She was born at Waverly, Mo., the daughter of Will Webb Davis, Sr. and Sallie (Baer) Davis. She received her education in the Waverly Schools, the Missouri Valley College at Marshall, the University of Missouri at Columbia and the University of Florida at Gainsville.

Dr. Davis taught a number of years in the Waverly Public Schools; in 1922, 1923 and 1924 she was the first science teacher in the Flat River Junior College. Dr. Davis also taught at the University of Gainsville in Florida before she retired.

Onida Davis was the head of the Economics Research Dept. at Gainsville for 32 years and had spoken by invitation before numerous national and state gatherings, including the International Symposium of the American Association of the Advancement of Science. She was a delegate to the U.S. Public Conference on Nutrition and Human Health. Onida had been widely acclaimed in national magazines, radio and news articles all over the United States for her keen interest and time devoted to research relating to health conditions especially of school age children.

Surviving Dr. Abbott are two brothers, Will Webb Davis, Jr. of Waverly, Mo. and John Tracy Davis of Boca Raton, Florida; two nieces, Mrs. Elizabeth Patterson of Kansas City, Mo. and Mrs. John Keller of Sugerland, Texas; and one nephew, J. B. Wheeler, Jr. of Waverly, Mo.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Edward Abbott, Sr. and an only son, Edward Abbott, Jr.; and one sister, Mrs. J. B. (Margaret) Wheeler, Sr.