Obituary of Mary Frances Bird Davis

Mary Frances Bird Davis August 28, 1920 - November 01, 2008 Mary Frances Turner Bird Davis was called to her Heavenly home on November 1, 2008 at Lovington, New Mexico. She had been a resident of Lovington, NM for over 50 years. She was born to John Turner and Esther Pennington Turner on August 28, 1920 on the Turner family farm in Lynn County, Texas, near Wilson. Services will be held t the First United Methodist Church in Lovington, NM on Saturday, November 8, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. MDT. Burial will be in Terrace Cemetery at Post, Texas on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008 at 4:00 pm CST by the side of her late husband, Lee Elmo Davis. Services are entrusted to Kirby-Smith-Rogers Funeral Home of Lovington, NM. Visitation will be Wednesday, Nov.5th from 8 am until 5 pm, Thursday, from 8 am-5 pm and Friday from 8 am until 8 pm at the funeral home. Mrs. Davis grew up on her parent’s farm near Shallowater & with her Great-grandparents and grandparents at New Hope & Verbena communities in Garza County, TX. She was wed to Richard A. Bird on June 5, 1937 and they farmed and ranched in the Verbena community. To this union was born, Mary Frances, Joan Gail, Carolyn Jay and Richard A., Jr. Mary attended school at New Hope through the 3rd grade then they consolidated with Verbena where she completed those grades and then she attended Post High School. The last 3 years she attended Verbena, she won a trip to the Carlsbad Caverns for having the highest grade-point in the whole school, then the next year to Pike’s Peak and then the last year to the Texas Centennial. Mary stayed at home to take care of the family and to run the farm when Richard was in the Navy Air Corp during WWII. After the war, Mary & Richard built a home in Lubbock and Richard entered Texas Tech. Mary tutored him through 5 years of college. While he was at home in the evening with the children, Mary went to work as cashier for Walgreen and helped during the day with their real estate business. Before his graduation, Richard opened an oilfield supply business and they moved this business to Lovington, NM in 1950, calling it “Red Bird Company.” Mary managed this business for about 15 years until they leased it out. She worked for LeRoy Sumrald after her divorce and then for Gordon M. Cone as his bookkeeper. She was a lifelong Methodist, being baptized on her 16th birthday in the Lucas family tank, a short distance from the Verbena Church. She was a Sunday School teacher and when she joined First United Methodist Church in Lovington she was active in the Susanna Guild. She was active in several fund drives such as: Heart, Cancer, March of Dimes and was a member of the Altrusa and BP&W clubs. She served as President, Treasurer, Secretary in both organizations. She was selected “Woman of the Year” in 1977 of the BP&W club & in 1978 she was District III “Woman of the Year.” She served on the board at Lovington Library, was a member of Prairie Lea Grandmother’s Club and was honored by the Marquis Who’s Who of American Women in their 12th edition of 1981-82. In August of 1981, Mary wed Lee Elmo Davis in the FUMC in Lovington. He was a Christian gentleman and the love of her life. They shared 15 wonderful years together. Mary underwent surgery for a brain tumor in 1984 and 2 years later a severe heart attack, causing her retirement from D & L Meters. Mary attributed her faith in God and the many prayers for her survival, blessing the FUMC for being her lifeline. She is survived by her daughter, Mary Frances Bird & husband Dwayne Schnaubert of Albuquerque, NM and a son-in-law, Joe & Patsy Moore of Gustine, Texas; her Grandchildren: Dr. Gary & Rozalind Rauch; Lisa & Roger Priest; Annette Rauch; Joan & David Franklin. Great-grandchildren: Lauren & Jennifer Franklin; Ryan & Kelly Priest, Benjamin, Richard & Timothy Rauch. One sister: Alma Hutto of Post, Texas and many nieces & nephews & friends. She was preceded in death by 2 daughters: Gail Bird Moore & Carolyn Jay Bird Foster; 1 son, Richard A. Bird, Jr. her first husband, Richard Bird; her parents; John Pascal & Esther Lou Turner and her husband, Lee Elmo Davis. Pallbearers will be: Dr. Gary Rauch, Grandson of Spartanburg, S.C.; Jay Wood, nephew of Ransom Canyon, TX.; Roger Priest, grandson-in-law of Aubrey, TX; David Franklin, Grandson-in-law of South Lake, TX; Tony Hutto, nephew of San Antonio, TX and Cody Wood, great-nephew of Big Spring, TX. Honorary Pallbearers will be: Jim Jameson, Joe Brown, Dr. O. R. Cook, Bruce Kennedy, all friends in Lovington, Jimmy Newton, friend from Lubbock and M. D. Davis, brother-in-law from Kingsland, TX. And Joe D. Moore, son-in-law of Gustine, TX. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: N. M. Boys & Girls Ranch, PO Box 9, Belen, NM 87002 or Methodist Children’s Home, llll Herring Ave, Waco, Texas 76708.