Davis, Bessie Josephine Mac Gowan

Bessie Josephine (MacGowan) Davis Bessie Josephine Strong was 
born in a cowboy line shack in Humboldt County on May 28, 
1912. She passed away peacefully in her home at age 98 on 
August 21, 2010. Bessie, her brother Jerry and sister Carmita 
were abandoned by their mother, Bessie (Barrett) Strong, at an 
early age. Their father Charles Nelson "Chip" Strong, being a 
cowboy, raised them as best as he could. Bessie found herself 
mothering her brother and sister through much of her childhood 
in foster homes, cowboy bunk houses and on the Hoopa Indian 
Reservation. They were taken in and raised by the widow Nancy 
Bell "Grammy" MacGowan and her family. Clyde MacGowan, 
Grammy's son, had three children, Jim, Leslie Gene and Lyrle, 
from a previous marriage. Bessie and Clyde were married in 
Eureka. They had three more children together, Clyde, Jack and 
Nancy Bell. Jim developed muscular dystrophy, Leslie Gene came 
down with polio and Bessie raised this combined family. During 
the depression, Clyde could not find work so Bessie would hunt 
robins and cotton tail rabbits for food, while pooling their 
resources with friends and neighbors, while Clyde looked for 
work. In 1942, Bessie and her family moved to San Francisco so 
they could find work and provide for and educate their children. 
She worked as a grocery clerk for most of her career. In 1969 
Bessie retired to a cabin on Azalea Drive, up French Creek, in 
Scott Valley. She became an active member of a number of local 
civic clubs, including American Field Service (AFS), Etna 
Enthusiasts where she was involved in the creation of the 
swimming pool in Etna, and Evening Star, Chapter #10 of the 
Order of the Eastern Star of Etna, CA. In all these groups, Bessie 
was always welcome on the food committee. Bessie married Bert 
Davis in 1979 and traveled to Alaska to reunite with her brother 
Jerry and his family. While in Alaska, Bessie was recognized as 
an Honorary Raven by the Tlingit Tribe. Bessie is survived by her 
sons Clyde MacGowan, of Alameda, Jack MacGowan, of Etna, 
and daughter Nancy MacGowan, of Etna, as well as 
grandchildren Scott MacGowan, of Honolulu, Hawaii, Jennifer 
Erickson, of Newport Beach, Ginger MacGowan, of Yreka, Robert 
MacGowan-Perry, of Oakland, Heather Millar, of San Francisco, 
Karen Stookey, of Ventura, and Sonia Stringer, of Eureka. She is 
also survived by numerous great-grandchildren and great-
great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by husbands 
Clyde and Bert, as well as children Jim, Leslie Gene, and Lyrle. 
Graveside services were held at the Etna Cemetary on Saturday, 
August 28, 2010 at 11 a.m. Girdner Funeral Chapel handled the 
arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made in Bessie's 
memory to Madrone Hospice, 255 Collier Circle, Yreka, CA 
96097. Online condolences may be sent to the family at 
www.girdnerfuneralchapel.com. 

Published in San Francisco Chronicle from September 12 to 
September 13, 2010