Middlesex County Commissioner of the Revenue P.J. “Bonnie” Davenport is retiring December 31, 2019 after working in the commissioner’s office for 22 years. She started working in the office in 1997 when commissioner Stanley Lewis hired her as a part-time employee.
Davenport started at the bottom in the commissioner’s office and worked her way up to become a “Master Commissioner.” She was elected to the Middlesex County Commissioner of the Revenue post in 2008 and served three terms.
Davenport will go down in county history as being the first woman African-American to hold a county constitutional office position in Middlesex County. The second female African-American will be Mae Burke, who won the commissioner of the revenue post in the 2019 November election.
Davenport is a “Master Commissioner of Revenue” accredited by the Commissioner of the Revenue Association of Virginia and School of Continuing Education from the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.
“It has been a wonderful journey,” said Davenport at her office on November 25. “Stanley (Lewis) taught me a lot about the office but former commissioner Mary Lou Stevenson allowed me to learn in a way that enabled me to run the office,” she said.
“Mary Lou wanted me to learn everything I could and when she decided to retire (in 2007) she encouraged me to run,” said Davenport. “I owe a great deal to them both.”
Before becoming commissioner of the revenue she was chief deputy of the office and later master deputy, the highest position behind the commissioner.
Early life
Davenport’s husband John Davenport spent his early years in Topping before his family moved to New York City. Bonnie and John met in the city, married and raised two sons. They have five grandchildren. John worked as a New York City transient inspector and Bonnie for the New York State Federal Credit Union League as a representative. Prior to that she worked for Columbia Pictures as an accountant for 20 years. When John retired in 1987, they moved to Middlesex and today live in John’s childhood home in Topping.
Before becoming commissioner of the revenue, Davenport was on the Middlesex County Planning Commission for 14 years, and worked with the Middlesex County Red Cross before it went regional. She worked in the commissioner’s office for 11 years before running for the top position.
Reasons for retiring
Davenport said her health was a factor in her decision to retire. She has a lung disease. “Due to my health, I have had to miss a lot of work time right here at the end of my term,” she said. “My health has played a part in this but my age also has played a part. It is time for someone younger to take over.
“I hate to go but I have a wonderful staff and Mae (Burke) is ready to take over this office,” she said. “I’ve also been supported by so many wonderful people.
“I can’t say this enough. I’m going to miss my staff! They have made this job so wonderful!” said Davenport.
Davenport also thanked Thyra Harris of Deltaville and Jean Clark, an employee in the office, for their support over her three terms. “Thyra encouraged me to run for office and has been a constant supporter ever since,” said Davenport. “Jean was my go-to person in the office and who I could always count on.”
Future
When asked what her plans were for the future her first response was, “I’m going to take a cruise. It’s my favorite type of vacation.”
The second response was, “I am going to volunteer on my good days to help others in our county. When we moved here from New York City the first thing I did was find worthwhile causes for me to volunteer for,” she said. “I’m going to do volunteer work because I like and I care about people. I want to thank all of you who voted for me and having the faith and trust in me to handle one of the most important positions in the county.”
That caring way has been paramount in making Bonnie Davenport a very special Middlesex County Commissioner of the Revenue.
