PLEASANT HILL- Mary Elizabeth (Gibson) Davis, 88, formerly of Pleasant Hill and Newton Township, went to be with her Lord on Oct. 29, 2012, at SpringMeade Health Center.
Mary was born on Jan. 18, 1924, to the late Alva Lewis and Daisy Viola (Anthony) (Sharp) Gibson. She married Gerald "Jar" Davis on June 14, 1941.
Her father was an identical twin and she has three sets of great-grandchildren who are twins. She graduated at the top of her class from Franklin Township School in 1941.
She is survived by her husband of 71 years, and nine children, Sheryl (Robert) Clingen, of Greenville, John (Susan) Davis, of Pleasant Hill, Rosemary (previously Kauffman) Saunders, of Piqua, Brenda (Bruce) Easton, of Salmon, Idaho, Judy (Paul) Benson, of Pleasant Hill, Debra (Larry) DeShazor, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Anita Smith, of Dayton, William (Bill) Davis, of Trussville, Ala., and Margaret (Tim) Brown, of near Pleasant Hill. Also surviving are 21 grandchildren, Liz (Clingen) and Tony DiPinto, Catherine Clingen; John A. and Lisa Davis, Daniel and India Davis, Sarah (Davis) and Kerry Murphy; Edward, Jarrod and Angie Kauffman; Barbara (Easton) and Steve Fisher, Beth (Easton) and Jaysen Dickens, Bobbi Jo (Easton) and Rick Austin, Bradley Easton; Whitney and Caitlin Benson; Clifton, Isaiah and Anna Deshazor, Anthony Deshazor; Dustin Smith; Rachel (Brown) and Trey Slebo, Kimberly (Brown) and Joshua VanCulin, David and Jenelle Brown.
One grandchild, Clarke Emerson Deshazor will be waiting for her in Heaven.
She is also survived by 25 great-grandchildren, Adriana and Gabriella DiPinto, Solomon and Soren Davis, Marrisa, Delaney, Molly Murphy, twins Emily and Catherine Kauffman, Brenna, Janna and Joshua Fisher, Jacob and Cody Dickens and Bridger Miller and Kelsey Austin, Isaiah, Jr., twins Adrian and Andrae Deshazor, Olyvia, Myers, Jaylon Slebo, Jyler, twins Bronson and Layla Van Culin.
Her surviving siblings are two sisters, Mildred Heiser, of Greenville, and Marcelle Gray, of Union City, Ind.; and one brother, Clifford Gibson, of Montecello, Ky.
Her siblings who have passed away are Alva Allen Gibson, Clyde Emerson Gibson, Charles Eugene Gibson, Maxine Winifred Cruze, and her half-sisters and half-brother Hazel Hittle, Juanita Kohler and Walter Sharp.
Mary was a member of the Pleasant View Missionary Church, a choir member, taught Sunday school and Bible school as well as participated in Women's Missionary Group. She was the editor for the "Corner to Corner" magazine for the Missionary Church for many years. She worked for a short time at the Buckles Tomato Cannery in Bradford and in 1966 began working at ArensCorp. in Covington, publisher of the Stillwater Valley Advertiser and Country Living. She was interviewer, photographer and writer of feature stories. She loved meeting people and being able to bring their special stories to life for the public to read. Additionally, she performed editorial duties for both publications. She also worked part-time as secretary for the Miami County Association for Retarded Citizens (now known as The Arc of Miami County).
Mary was a 4-H adviser of the Happy Homemakers for 30-plus years. She was an accomplished, self-taught seamstress. She delighted in making clothes for all of her children including their performing costumes for baton twirling reviews/contests and majorette uniforms of the Newton High School Band, for many years. It was her pleasure to make formals, wedding gowns and flower girl dresses for her family.
As an avid reader, she enjoyed continually acquiring knowledge from the many books collected during her lifetime. Learning about birds and watching them brought her much pleasure.
She was an independent and strong-willed woman, who loved her Lord and Savior. She often told her children she will be looking for them to join her on the Heavenly Streets of Gold.
Funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at Pleasant View Missionary Church, 5231 Gettysburg-Pitsburg Road, Greenville. Interment will follow in Miami Memorial Park Cemetery, Covington.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Jackson-Sarver Funeral Home, 1 S. Main St., Pleasant Hill, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at Pleasant View Missionary Church. Memorial donations may be made to The Arc of Miami County, 204 E. Franklin St., Troy or Pleasant View Missionary Church.Online memories may be left for the family at www.jackson-sarver.com