Obituary of Wanda Jean Davenport

Wanda Jean Davenport December 06, 1942 - July 21, 2015 Ms. Wanda Jean Davenport (Waddell), of LaPorte, TX, passed away on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at the age of 72 due to complications from Breast Cancer. Wanda was born to parents Venson and Ella Mae Waddell on December 6th, 1942 in Powell, TN. She grew up as the eldest of three and attended Powell High School. In 1960, she married her high school sweetheart, Bob Blazier. Also in 1960, she moved to London, England with her husband as a part of his military service for the Air Force, in 1963 Wanda gave birth to her eldest son Robert Dean Blazier, that same year she was moved to Columbus, MS where they lived until 1967 when she moved to Washington, D.C. where she worked at the Pentagon in the secretarial pool. In, November 1971 she gave birth to her youngest son Joseph Leon Blazier at Fort Belvoir in Alexandria, VA. In, 1972 she then moved to Taipei, Taiwan and stayed home with her sons enjoying the culture. In 1974 they moved back to the states to Hampton, VA and she went to work for the Department of the Army at Fort Monroe, she spent her free time with friends at the Yacht Club on Fort Monroe and playing the piano at her Church in Tabb, VA. Wanda moved to Taunton, MA in 1979 to begin a new life. Wanda married Charles Wayne Davenport in 1980, and through the marriage Wanda gained 6 step-children. Wanda worked for the Veterans Administration in Providence, RI for the 3 years she lived in Taunton, MA. In 1981, Wanda followed Charles too his home state of Texas. The first stop was Port Arthur; Wanda began her career with the Social Security Administration at the downtown Port Arthur Office. She worked there until the summer on 1985 when she again moved to Corpus Christi, TX. She continued with Social Security there and enjoyed being back near the water. In 1990, Wanda moved to her final home in LaPorte, TX and continued her career with The Social Security Administration She made many of her lifelong friends in LaPorte including all her sisters in Eastern Star. One of her proudest moments was when she served as Worthy Matron for her Chapter. Wanda retired in 2008 and focused her time on travel, casinos, playing the keyboard at First Baptist Church in LaPorte, and her relationship with Rufus Collier. Wanda had an unquenchable thirst for the Lord Jesus Christ and wanted to share it with all who would listen. She had a passion for the music in church and a strong passion for travel. She visited Ireland and did a cruise in the Mediterranean in her retirement. Wanda was an inspiration to many due to her heroic battle with Metastatic Breast Cancer. She suffered more than twenty years and had 4 relapses from the initial diagnosis. She was a true warrior and never complained about her plight but rather embraced the opportunity to share with other survivors the love of the Lord. She was an inspiration to all she met and 2001 penned the poem “My Relay Angel” used in the opening ceremony for the Pasadena Relay for Life for many years. Wanda is survived by her Parents, Venson and Ella Mae Waddell of Knoxville TN; her brother David (Susie) Waddell; her sons, Robert Dean Blazier (Madawna) of Moyock, NC and Joseph Leon Blazier (Meghan) of Gilbert, AZ; her stepchildren Shawna, Beth, Georgia, Peggy, Vivi, and Charles Alfred; Beverly Collier and Wendy Large (Daniel); fifteen grandchildren and step-grandchildren;. She is preceded in death by her brother Venson Arlis Waddell II; her grandson Phillip Joshua (PJ) Blazier; and her love Rufus Collier. A Memorial Service will be available to the public at First Baptist Church of LaPorte, 310 S Broadway, LaPorte, TX 77572 on Saturday July 25th at 3 p.m. with a reception to follow at the church. The cremation will take place a few weeks later. The ashes will be scattered in Galveston Bay in the water she loved so much. The family is grateful for the condolences, but declines flowers and asks donations be made in kind to First Baptist Church of LaPorte in Wanda’s name to PO Box 2075 LaPorte, TX 77572