Obituary of Lea Ann Davis (Brandenburg)

We are deeply saddened to announce the sudden passing of Lea Ann (Brandenburg) Davis at 61 years old on March 3, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona. 
Lea Ann was born in Atwood, Illinois in 1962, attended Milliken University, and moved to California in 1984 where she completed her education with an MBA. It was during this time that Lea Ann began her career in procurement and contracts in Ridgecrest, CA at the Naval Weapons Station China Lake. In her role as a contracts officer for NAVAIR, Lea Ann, was a fearless negotiator, an excellent analyst and writer, and mentor to many colleagues, all of whom she deeply cherished and spoke often of with mutual respect and pride. Many have written to her family in the wake of her passing informing of us of the lasting impact that Lea Ann had on their careers and lives. Lea Ann achieved many accomplishments during her long career; she was highly respected as a dedicated expert in her field. 
At home, Lea Ann carried the same level of love, respect, and dedication to her family. Lea Ann married Randall Davis, an Atwood-Hammond local, with whom she shared a beautiful and peaceful life. She enjoyed exploring the desert and mountains, traveling, and was a lifelong learner of history. Randall and Lea Ann spent many years hiking and rockhounding together across California and Arizona in the last decades of her life. With a shared passion for history, Lea Ann and her daughter, Rachel Davis Small, traveled to historic sites across the U.S. and Europe. In 2022, Lea Ann became a grandmother to Rachel’s daughter, Daphne Rose—a role to which Lea Ann’s warm, loving, and oftentimes silly personality was perfectly suited. Daphne and Lea Ann loved to spend their days together feeding ducks, bird watching, and helping grandpa pan for gold in their backyard. Lea Ann’s generosity, sense of calm, and love for life impacted everyone in her life. She will be deeply missed by those who she has left behind. 
Her burial service will take place at the Atwood Mackville Cemetery on April 6, 2024, from 10:30 to 11:30AM and is open to all. The United Church of Atwood (210 N. Main, Atwood, IL) will host a luncheon to celebrate Lea Ann’s life following the burial service from 12:00-2:00PM. If you would like to send flowers for the memorial services, please send them to the church to be delivered on Saturday 4/6. For those wishing to donate in Lea Ann’s name, the family requests that you select your favorite charitable organization.