Wilma Cecile Clary Davis, 94, of Concord, N.C., passed away on Tuesday, November 24, 2020, at St. Andrews Assisted Living in Concord, where she has lived for the past year.
She was born on August 5, 1926, in Cool Springs, N.C., to the late Reese Guy and Mayree Graham Clary. She had four brothers and four sisters.
She grew up in the Great Depression on a farm and learned early what hard work was. She often told that she had her own hoe at the age of 5 and worked in the fields with the rest of the family.
She graduated in 1945 from Mt. Ulla High School, where she was a member of the Beta Club Honor Society. She was interviewed and hired by the government and worked at the Pentagon in the Intelligence Department in the closing months of World War II.
She married Harry Earle Davis on March 6, 1946, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church following his return from the South Pacific and his discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps.
They had one child, Michael E. Davis, on December 18, 1946. They moved to Baltimore, Md., and lived there for eight years before returning to North Carolina and living in Charlotte. After living in Charlotte for 21 years, they built a home in Rowan County on land once owned by her grandfather, J.R. Graham. The house plans were drawn up by their son to Wilma’s specifications and dimensions and built by Harry and her brother, Roger Clary.
Harry passed away on March 23, 1984. She continued on keeping house and maintaining the landscaped property. She was an avid gardener, observer of national politics and a Southern historian. She was a very strong willed woman who would tackle any task. She was often found with a hammer, saw, or paint brush in her hand and when confronted her response was “I’m the daughter of a carpenter and I can take care of myself.” Following Harry’s death, she relearned how to drive and obtained her drivers license. She once ordered 1,000 white pine trees and planted them herself. She was forever doing needle point, making drapes, cushions and canopy bed covers along with moving furniture throughout the house. She loved baking pound cakes.
She had an uncanny ability to switch from arguing politics, to religion, to exploration of space or some significant happening in history in the course of a conversation. She loved doing family genealogy and she traced her ancestors in this country to the early 1600s from Scotland to Virginia to Texas.
She will be greatly missed.
Mrs. Davis is survived by her only son, Michael E. Davis.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 1, from 10 to 11 a.m. with a service following at 11 a.m. at Cavin-Cook Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Scott Swix officiating. Burial will follow the service at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Cemetery in Bear Poplar, N.C. For those who are unable to attend the service, you may go to the following link for the live stream https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC864hAs96dTRLVVL1la0Qlw/videos?view=2&flow=list
For those who are unable to attend the graveside, you may go to the following link for the live stream https://www.facebook.com/CavinCookFuneralHomeServices/
Cavin-Cook Funeral Home & Crematory, Mooresville, is serving the Davis family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.