Mary J. Davis

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Eccl. 3:1)

A Time to Be Born

 Mary Jo (Bennett) Lyle-Davis was born on April 25, 1941, to the late Toliver and Mable Ann (Hickman) Bennett in Newton, TX. She was the fourth of seven children born to this union. 

A Time to Learn

 Mary Jo attended Liberty Elementary School in Newton, TX, before relocating to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she completed her studies at Santa Fe High School in 1959. She pursued further education in the health field, established a health care agency called Dee’s Home Health, and later worked as a private caregiver for the Shalom Park Jewish Community. Throughout her life, Mary Jo was dedicated to service and compassion, weaving her professional pursuits in health care with a deep commitment to her faith and her family. Her experiences in education and caregiving shaped her nurturing spirit. She carried this same spirit into her personal relationships and active involvement in the church community. As she embraced her roles at home and within the community, Mary Jo exemplified a steadfast devotion to helping others, which laid the foundation for a life marked by unwavering faith. Mary Jo met William A. Lyle, Sr., in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the were united in marriage. To this union were born, William, Jr., Janet and David. She later met and married Melvin Davis in Denver, CO, in 1977.

 A Time to Serve

 In the early 1960s, Mary Jo answered and accepted the call to salvation, was baptized in Jesus name and received the gift of the Holy Ghost according to Act 2:38, under the leadership of Elder Marcus Burden in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the early 1970s, after relocating to Denver, CO, she became a member of Zion Temple Pentecostal Apostolic Church, under the pastorate of the late Bishop Roland B. Martin, Sr. Having strong faith in God, she followed His teachings and raised her children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. In doing so, Mary Jo did not “spare the rod”! At Zion Temple, she was affectionately known as “Mother Mary Jo”. Her service in the church extended beyond attendance. was a hallmark of her faith. She often invited friends, and even strangers, into her home for fellowship, meals, and spiritual guidance. She was actively involved in missionary work and was a faithful supporter of the Women’s Ministry. In addition, she contributed her time to the Kitchen staff and the Nurses Guild, volunteering for outreach programs and supporting fellow members through prayer and encouragement. She took joy in mentoring young women in the congregation, offering wisdom and a listening ear to those in need. During the COVID-19 Pandemic and until her health would no longer allow, she was a faithful participant in the Zion Temple Noonday On-line Prayer Conference led by Eld. Larry Queen. As a spiritual mentor and example to many, Mary Jo demonstrated her deep commitment to the Word of God. She firmly believed in keeping her focus on the Lord by continuing to read her Bible, even during periods of declining health. Mother Davis lived her life looking for the promise of eternal life with the Lord knowing that when He called her home, that “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”. No matter the situation, her faith was unwavering. She trusted in the Lord. Her legacy of devotion lives on, as those who knew her witnessed the strength she drew from her relationship with the Lord. Mother Davis inspired her family and friends not only through her words, but through her acts of kindness, compassion, and steadfast prayer. Her example remains a guiding light for all, reminding us that faith will sustain and uplift us, even in life’s most difficult moments. 

A Time to Die

 Having battled health issues over the past few years, on October 23, 2025, surrounded by her family at Parker Adventist Hospital, Mary Jo peacefully went Home to be with the Lord in eternity. She was preceded in death by her parents, Toliver and Mable Ann Bennett; her spouses, William A. Lyle, Sr. and Melvin Davis; her siblings, Ray Eloise Gill, Paul Bennett, Betty Jean Williams, Odean Collier, Charles Bennett, and Billie Catherine Elem, and her great- grandchild, Madison Pickney.

 A Time to Mourn

 Mary Jo Davis is survived by her children, William A. Lyle Jr. (Delores) of Stafford, VA, Janet Essex (Aurora, CO) and David Leon Lyle (Lexington, KY); seven grandchildren, Candice J. Pinkney (James), Christopher W. Lyle (Lakia), Devon Lyle, Shardá M. Compton, David Lyle Jr., William A. Lyle III, and Winton A. Lyle (Jordan); nine great-grandchildren, Donovan J. Pinkney, Bryanna J. Little, Mason A. Pinkney, McKenzie P. Pinkney, Diesel Lyle, Denzel Lyle, Aaron A. Lyle, and Phoenix A. Lyle; two godchildren, Stephen Burden and Omega Livingston; her dear friends, Mother Alice Morris and Mother Annie Richardson; her Zion Temple Church family and many others.