Mary Davis
August 15, 1923 - January 3, 2017
Obituary
Mary Olive Rabourn Davis
August 15, 1923 – January 3, 2017
Devoted Wife, Loving Mother, Grandmother,
Great Grandmother and Friend
Mary Davis went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ peacefully on Tuesday morning, January 3, 2017.
Mary was born to Mary and Warren Rabourn on August 15, 1923 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mary was the 2nd of 4 children, Warren, Florence and Larry. After finishing high school Mary embarked on several work adventures including Chicago, working for the Navy Dept in Washington DC, and New York working for the Iranian Delegation to the United Nations for 4 years.
Mary moved back to Indiana in the spring of 1951. The parents of her best friend were instrumental in making arrangements for Mary and Pete to meet. They went on their first date Memorial Day weekend of 1951 and were married in October of the same year. They were married for 62 years and raised son Alan and daughter Suzi.
Mary and Pete lived in Indiana, Ohio, Florida, and Alabama moving due to Pete’s various work assignments, but one Boeing transfer took them to Seattle over the Christmas holiday of 1968-69, and the adventure of that trip is a story repeated every year in the Davis household. They found a home to rent in Normandy Park, and 3 years later purchased a home they lived in for 42 years until their move to Judson Park in 2014.
Mary and Pete attended John Knox Presbyterian Church and were very active while they were able to attend. Mary enjoyed flower arranging both as a hobby and making arrangements for the church each week, as well as several weddings. She participated in Bible Study Fellowship and Stephen Ministry for many years. She loved gardening and was active in the garden club wherever they lived.
Mary was capable in so many ways, she enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, taught herself to cook and always loved to try new recipes. She made the food budget stretch by canning and freezing food fresh in it’s season, and the freezer was the grocery store. She got great enjoyment in “hiding” foods that were nutritious in the food and testing to see if we liked it. Mary and Pete were actively involved in the lives of the children and great supporters of scouts, music, PTA, and sports. They also spent quality time with the grandchildren as the “childcare” for Laura and Becky in their before school years and many other adventures.
Mary’s hallmark was her love of people. She enjoyed meeting new people anywhere she went and would always start a conversation to make connections as no one to her was a stranger.
Mary is survived by son Alan (Jane), daughter Suzi, granddaughters Becky and Laura (Aaron), and great granddaughter Thea.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, February 4th at 3:00 pm at Judson Park Chapel. Any remembrances of Mary can be made to a cause of your choice or Bible Study Fellowship https://www.bsfinternational.org/giving-information as mom benefited from this ministry for many years.
Thanks for sharing this–especially since we couldn’t get over for the memorial service. We are just so happy to have known Mary and to have shared her (and Pete’s!) great joy in family, shared interests and especially now to see this heritage pasted down through Suzi, Alan and the rest of the Davis family. What wonderful memories you all share–one of life’s greatest treasure. God bless you all! Our love always, Doug and Anne M.