Shirley Davenport continues to maintain her commitment to making the Poplar Bluff community a better place through her volunteerism and service.
At age 89, she remains an active member of the local Altrusa International chapter as well as in her church congregation at Green Forest Church of Christ.
“I’ve always had a strong work ethic,” Davenport said, “and that has carried over into my volunteerism. I like the satisfaction of getting things done.”
The list of her volunteer accomplishments is considerable.
As a member of Altrusa, she’s been involved in many different literacy projects, including providing free books for the Poplar Bluff Park Department’s Santa Land and for the Butler County Health Department.
She’s also been a part of Altrusa’s scholarship programs for Three Rivers College and the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center, and she has volunteered for the Promise Garden Walk to end Alzheimer’s disease and the Race Across America.
“When I retired, I wasn’t sure I would have anything to do, but the volunteer work has really given me an opportunity to continue to be active,” Davenport said.
“It gives me something to look forward to, to set goals, and I really enjoy the volunteer work and the satisfaction of improving other people’s situations in the community,” she said.
Davenport joined Altrusa in 1985 when her husband, the late Irvin Davenport Sr., introduced her to the organization after working with school principals on the “Reading is Fundamental” program as part of his career as an educator.
“I started going to their fundraisers and was invited to become a member, and I have not regretted it,” she said. “It’s a really good organization if you’d like an outlet for community service, social services diversity and good socialization.”
Irvin Davenport passed away in 2000, and today Shirley has two children, Irvin Davenport Jr. and Mara Ann Davenport Westbrooks, along with five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Her work at her church continues to keep her connected, as well. She still handles registration for Vacation Bible School and attends worship services and Bible studies.
She taught her first Sunday school class at age 17, and then taught until she was 82, with her classes ranging from toddlers to the ninth grade.
Davenport also assisted in developing a “Tuesday School” for toddlers at Green Forest Church of Christ for ages 2-4. She served as coordinator of that ministry for several years until stepping back to substitute teach. The toddler classes closed down during the COVID-19 pandemic and were not restarted afterward.
Davenport’s volunteer activities have also directly affected the community. When the Poplar Bluff Public Library transitioned from hand-processing checkouts to a computer scanning system, she worked for several days to help get all the books indexed to the library’s computer system.
She also served on the local committee that secured funds to restore the Grand Staircase at the downtown train depot, an undertaking that cost $600,000.
Davenport assisted in grant writing for the staircase project, and after its completion, she served as an advisor to a group in Oregon undertaking a similar restoration project.
“I am so thankful for the generosity of the people of Poplar Bluff for making this project a success.” she said. “The project could not have come to completion without their help.”
Davenport attended Three Rivers College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southeast Missouri State University.
“I was an older student and received my B.S. degree in 1982, which was also the first year I became a grandmother,” she said.
She retired in 2006 as a health care facility general manager and administrator. She’s also a survivor of breast cancer, receiving her last treatment in 2012.
“I’m thankful to God for the life he has permitted me to have and for my savior, Jesus Christ,” Davenport said. “Faith in God is really what life is all about.”