Martha Davis

1937 - 2025

Martha Davis

October 11, 1937 - November 24, 2025

Louisburg, North Carolina - Martha Freeman Davis, 88, surrounded by her loving family, peacefully passed away on November 24, 2025 at Transitions LifeCare in Raleigh. Martha was born on October 11, 1937 to the late Numa and Margaret Holden Freeman.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 29, 2025 at Maple Springs Baptist Church with the Reverend Jason Havens officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends in the church following the committal.

Martha is survived by her beloved best friend and husband, Charles McMillan Davis; their three children, Chip Davis (Dawn) of Louisburg, Meg Ellis (Neal) of Raleigh, and John Davis (Paige) of Louisburg; their six grandchildren, Charlie Davis (Tanya) of Woodland, and Erin Joyner (Dillon), Madison Davis, Holden Davis, and Jack Davis, all of Louisburg, and Davis Ellis of Fort Bragg; and four great grandchildren, Rhett Joyner and Hayes Joyner of Louisburg, and Josey and Mary Logan Davis of Woodland.

Martha lived her life in service to God and others as she tried to make this world a better place. She grew up in Louisburg across the street from the mischievous boy who would become the love of her life and husband of 66 years. She and Charles always were an important part of each other's life. It is impossible to speak of one without the other. From grade school to Mills High School where Martha was her class valedictorian to commutes between Chapel Hill where Charles studied and Greensboro where Martha studied home economics at UNC-G where she was student body president and a Summa Cum Laude graduate, to student teaching in Winston-Salem while Charles finished law school back to Louisburg to settle as a young family, Martha and Charles have been there for each other.

As a gifted, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, Martha always used her many gifts to serve. She wanted to give Charles and her children what they needed-a deep, abiding faith in a strong Christian family. She could meld herself into whatever was needed in any circumstance.

She served as office manager for Franklin Cable Vision in the 1980's and in 1993, when Chip needed a bookkeeper and office manager at Piedmont Surveys, she went to work for him. She worked for Chip until she retired in 2018.

Martha was a gifted designer and seamstress. She designed and sewed the wedding dress she wore when she married Charles three days after her graduation in Home Economics from UNC-Greensboro. She handmade a complete suit for Charles, winter coats for Meg and herself and matching Sunday outfits for Chip, Meg and John.

Martha was an architect as she designed the lovely home she and Charles built back in 1966. She was a master gardener as she designed, planted and maintained myriad flower and vegetable gardens throughout her family's yard.

Just as she was an architect of the house that came to be the family's residence, she was also a builder of what it meant to be a home and what it meant to be a family. She was the creator and sustainer of the strong bonds that tied each member of the family to the whole. She welcomed new members of the family and made them feel a part of something that was much larger than themselves. She nurtured the young people into adulthood where they have demonstrated their own commitment to the country, to the community, and to the Lord.

One of the greatest joys of her life began the day she became "Mema." From the moment each grandchild was born, her heart expanded in a way only she could describe: full of pride, excitement, and a love that would never stop growing. She poured that love into them all, supporting and encouraging them in every season of life. Whether it was schoolwork, sports, church activities, or whatever new interest captured their attention, Mema was always their biggest cheerleader.

She was an entertainer extraordinaire as she hosted huge gatherings of family and friends that featured her from-scratch, homecooked, gourmet meals - usually finished off either with some form of her famous fudge-like chocolate icing or pastries filled with Charles' blueberries, raspberries or blackberries. Each Christmas, she enjoyed baking, delivering her homemade goodies to various friends and family around Franklin County. Her and Charles' annual July Fourth neighborhood picnic expanded to include family and friends from around the state. When Charles was president of the State Bar, she hosted Bar spouses on many explorative trips and, for one of the many gifts she gave them, she hand made each family a ceramic water melon serving bowl!

She was a master teacher of any subject to any age as she expertly taught Kindergarten in her own school, The Little Red Schoolhouse, sixth grade and high school chemistry and physics. She tutored many local children in a variety of subjects.

Known as an amazing cook, Martha shared her culinary talents with her church through planning, preparing and serving delicious meals to large groups in the fellowship hall. Her most cherished meal gatherings, however, were the long-cherished, weekly Sunday lunches she lovingly prepared for her continually growing family.

As an innovative thinker and organizer, Martha created the first "Open Curriculum Day" for Louisburg High School, she masterminded and directed the Louisburg Home Tours that her Girl Scout troop guided in the late 1970's. She embellished fourth grade curriculum for the Sunday School classes she taught for over 30 years. She enabled countless boys and girls to explore community and civic engagement, cultural opportunities, outdoor cooking, first aid and camping as she led Cub Scouts for both Chip and John. The Scouts she and Linda Cottrell led for 11 years developed lifelong friendships as they ALL earned the highest award in Girl Scouting, the Gold Award. She served her town on the Town Planning Board and too many other committees to count, she served her church in so many different roles that she was awarded Lay Leader of the Year at her church.

Martha fed her own mind as a longtime member of the O'Henry Book Club. She relished preparing meals and presenting various programs in this special group. She also was an avid member of the education honor society, Delta Kappa Gamma. In both groups, she developed and sustained many fulfilling friendships.

Even with so many intellectual, organizational and creative gifts, Martha always remained humble before her God and lived out her Christian faith in everything she did. Throughout her life, she always was involved either in group or individual Bible study, and she always opened her mind to try to understand and love people from all walks of life. She helped others understand themselves. She would listen as long as it took for you finally to articulate what you thought. She enjoyed thinking outside the box and discovering new ways of seeing. She encouraged her friends, family and students to seek and find themselves. She treated people as

she wanted to be treated. She was a sincere follower of Christ, and her warm example of loving, understanding and serving encouraged others to follow.

The family wishes to thank all who have supported and loved them throughout Martha's valiant battle with dementia. In particular, we are grateful to Barbara and Queen Alston, Our Promise Care Homes and Transitions Lifecare of Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to honor Martha's memory may contribute to the UNC-Greensboro General Scholarship Fund, Happy Camper of Franklin County, Maple Springs Baptist Church, or Transitions LifeCare of Raleigh.