Roscoe park dedicated in memory of Sandy Davis

Roscoe council members, relatives and neighbors attended the dedication ceremony Saturday evening.

Shown unveiling the new plaque in memory of Sandy Davis at Roscoe Riverview Park are three of her grandchildren, from left, Reagan Molek, Josh Davis and Bryttany Gardner. Courtesy of Roscoe Borough

Sandy Davis had a gleaming smile, sturdy shoulders, a stellar work ethnic and always had a listening ear.

She had a special way of making people around her know they were important.

Whether it be a friend, relative or a complete stranger, if she saw you in her hometown she would grin,

Roscoe Mayor T.J. Wilkinson is shown with Michele Molek (Sandy Davis’ daughter) at the park dedication ceremony. Photo courtesy of E.L. Core

shake your hand, give a warm hug and then ask with sincerity, “How are you?”

She was genuine and always made time to listen.

Davis, 71, died Feb. 12, but a park in Roscoe, a place she so dearly loved and called home, now bears her name.

Her family tore shimmering gold

Shown at the dedication ceremony, from left, are Roscoe borough worker Carter Popelas, council President Dawn Popelas, Michelle Huba, borough worker Aidan Huba and Roscoe Councilman Chuck DiPiazza. Photo courtesy of E.L. Core

paper off the sign into the newly dedicated Sandy Davis Memorial Roscoe Riverview Park on Saturday as dozens of onlookers watched on, with tear-filled eyes and warm smiles.

Davis was a woman who put her family and community first.

No matter where she traveled, the Mon Valley and her little town nestled along Route 88 and the Monongahela River was home.

In 1988, she opened Davis Travel Agency in Monongahela, and in the last several years, operated the business from her home in Roscoe where she was still working at the time of her death.

She was successful in business, but even more dedicated when it came to civic engagement.

Davis devoted much of her life to serving the communities in which she worked and lived. Whether it was building playgrounds, parks, or pickleball courts, coordinating fireworks displays, or brightening up the streets with colorful banners or making sure Christmas trees were decorated perfectly to usher in the holiday season, the roots she had in Roscoe and the love she had for her community ran deep.

In 1990, she became the first female member of the Monongahela Rotary Club and went on to serve two terms as the club’s president – also as Southwestern Pennsylvania Rotary Assistant District Governor.

She was a member of the Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce, served 35 years on the Mid-Mon Valley Transit Authority, was on the Board of Directors of RESA police and was a tenured councilwoman on borough council. When she passed away, she had been president for many years.

Davis took her first position on Roscoe Borough Council in 1994 when TJ Wilkinson vacated his seat to become mayor.

“The rest is history — she never looked back,” Wilkinson said.

When it came to her community, particularly the park and creating spaces for children and families to enjoy, recreation could be considered her specialty.

“She was always for that park, anything we wanted to do down there, and a lot of the things you see down there now are because of her,” Wilkinson said. “She traveled all over the country, but Roscoe was home.”

Roscoe Council President Dawn Popelas said Davis was an “icon” within the community.

“She was well loved, well respected,” Popelas said. “Sandy was someone who made things happen.”

The pickleball courts that were installed at the park and the pavilion were Davis’ ideas.

“I didn’t even know what pickleball was,” Wilkinson said. “I found out, and like always, she made it happen.”

“Sandy said if we built the pickleball court, they would come, and boy was she right,” Popelas said. “The pavilion, it might be small, but she wanted families to have somewhere there that they could sit in the shade and have a picnic and get out of the sun. The playground, the boat launch, so many of the things we have are because of her and we thought it fitting to give back, like she did.”

After Davis passed away, Popelas took over the role as president on Roscoe council.

Fellow Councilwoman Jennifer Todd said it has been a smooth transition.

“Dawn was reluctant, because we all thought we would have Sandy for a lot longer,” Todd said. “But we told her, ‘You have known her, you have watched her and she would be proud that you have stepped in to this role.’ And Dawn is doing an excellent job.”

Popelas said Davis taught her a lot.

“She always remembered your name, always took time out of her day to ask how you were, and she always took the time to listen,” Popelas said. “She was just someone who was always willing to give, no matter what. She made time for people and the things that were important and she made you feel important every time that you spoke to her. And I really think the world needs more of that.”

Todd said when she proposed rededicating the park in Davis’ honor, no one hesitated.

“No one blinked an eye because it just made sense,” Todd said. “Sandy was someone who not only talked the talk, but she walked the walk. She gave her entire self to this borough and went above and beyond, every time.”

Saturday, despite rain in the forecast, her friends and family believe Davis split the clouds to bring the sunshine as the park was dedicated in her name.

After the ceremony, families throughout the borough had picnics and parties.

Each year, instead of hosting a Fourth of July fireworks display, Davis opted to put off a show at the end of summer to send students back to school on a high note.

It has been that way since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Years ago she started the block party with fireworks, but after the pandemic, she said even though we couldn’t have the block party, we should still have the fireworks. That way people could celebrate on their own with their families but still have something to look forward to.”

It never changed.

Her friends and family, and so many beloved community members and strangers gathered to remember her Saturday, and after dusk, fireworks lit up the sky.

“It was a beautiful night, a beautiful day and I am just so happy that we were able to do that for her,” Todd said. “There were parties happening all over town, so much joy, and I think she would have really, really loved it.”

Tucked behind the wall, an almost secret spot near the river bank, is a bench where council hopes people will stop by to think, relax and take in the view like Davis so often did.

“She loved the river,” Todd said. “Her house was on the river and she loved to take people out on her pontoon boat.”

Popelas said Davis had a hand in pretty much “all things Roscoe.”

“I like to call it the reflecting bench,” Popelas said. “It’s not just a space to sit and think about her, but about life in general and how nice it is to be there along the river because it was truly one of her favorite places.”

Wilkinson said he plans to spend a lot of the time at the Sandy Davis Memorial Roscoe Riverview Park – and hopes other residents do, too.

“We spent a lot of the time on these riverbanks together,” Wilkinson said. “Solving the problems of the town and of the world. The other day I was down there working until 9 p.m. and there were kids on the swings, high school kids playing pickleball, families at the boat ramp fishing and feeding ducks, it was crowded. It was really crowded. That’s exactly what Sandy would want to see. She would have been impressed.”