Janet C. Davenport

Janet Chambers Davenport, born November 15, 1927 in Ridgeway, Missouri, died peacefully on February 18, 2025 at home surrounded by her family. She moved to Louisville, Kentucky during her freshman year of high school and graduated from Atherton High School. She went on to earn a degree in English from the University of Louisville. She met her husband, William Randolph Davenport (Randy) at U of L, where he was in the V-12 Navy College Training Program during World War II. Together they lived in Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, finally settling in Kentucky for the last decades of their life. Married for 73 years, he preceded her in death in 2021.

Janet served alongside her husband as First Lady of Campbellsville College in Campbellsville, Kentucky for 19 years, receiving an Honorary Doctorate for the years of service to that institution. She was a wonderful hostess, beloved by faculty, staff, and students, for opening her home for holidays and special events, sharing her homemade meals and delicacies, and providing a listening ear.

Janet loved Jesus, her family, Campbellsville Baptist Church and the Gideon’s International. She was an avid Bible student, a wonderful writer, a detailed documentarian of travels, a gardener of her treasured irises, a seeker of knowledge, and a lover of crossword and jigsaw puzzles.

In addition to her husband, Janet was preceded in death by her parents, Jesse Lyons Chambers and Mason Little Chambers of Louisville, and her sister Colleen Singleton of Memphis, Tennessee.

She is survived by her family and many who loved her: four children, Liz Wilson (Bill), Martin Davenport (Sue), Mary Davenport, and Susan Davenport; seven grandchildren, BJ Wilson, Jon Wilson, Mike Wilson, Ben (Shannon) Stewart, Abbie (Daniel) Stovall, Jenny O’Leary (Mark), Julie Davenport; three great grandchildren, Noah Stewart, Braeden Stewart, William Stovall; Kim Byram, and many nieces and nephews.

The family extends special thanks to Diana and Natalia, and to the Hosparus caregivers, especially April, Anita, and Cindy.

Private service for the family, officiated by Dr. Dwayne Norman on February 24, 2025, with internment in Brookside Cemetery in Campbellsville, Kentucky.

Expressions of sympathy can be directed to The Gideons International Memorial Bible plan or Campbellsville University scholarship funds.

PARROTT & RAMSEY FUNERAL HOME IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS