CHRISTINE DAVIS
Aug. 19, 1914-April 4, 2006
Christine Pate Davis, 91, of 1592 Beautancus Road, Mount Olive, died today at her residence.
The funeral will be held Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Bear Marsh Missionary Baptist Church. The Rev. Michael W. Whitesides and the Rev. J. Paul Rose will officiate. Burial will be in Brock Family Cemetery.
Mrs. Davis was a lifelong resident of the Beautancus community, the only child of Joseph and Emma Brock Pate. Her father died when she was young and she was raised by her mother, with the help of an uncle, David J. Brock. She graduated from Calypso High School and attended business school in Bamberg, S.C. She and her husband, the late Elbert James Davis, were first "married" at the age of 7 1/2 in a "Tom Thumb" wedding, and were married in real life in 1938. For a number of years she worked as a secretary at the A.F.C. office in Kenan-sville, but for most of her life she was a homemaker, farmer's wife and church worker. A lifelong member of Bear Marsh Church, she taught Sunday school and Bible school, sang in the choir, worked in the nursery department and was a member of the Women's Missionary Society. For years she was a member of the Beautancus Community Home Demon-stration Club and was also a member of the Duplin County Farm Bureau Ladies Auxi-liary.
She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Ann Douglas Davis Byrd and Stanley Byrd of the Beautancus community and Kay Davis Grady and Charles D. Grady of Mount Olive; a son and daughter-in-law, Elbert James "Jimmy" Davis Jr. and Patricia Bell Davis of the Beautancus community; six grandchildren, DeWayne Byrd of Greenville, Darwin Byrd and wife Ginny, and Darrell Byrd and wife Jennifer, all of the Beautan-cus community, Renee Byrd Bradshaw and husband Steve of Newton Grove, Douglas Grady Jr. and wife Karla of Garner's Chapel community, and Brian Grady and wife Kim of Atlanta, Ga.; eight great-grandchildren, Braxton Bradshaw, Barrett Bradshaw, Davis Byrd, Matthew Grady, Rebecca Grady, Jacob Grady, Jenna Shae Grady and Evan Brock; her "guardian angel," Ellen Hardison of the home; and special cousins, Beverly B. Hatch of the Beautancus community, DeLauris B. James of Eden, and Joel W. Hand Jr. of Bamberg, S.C.
A special cousin, Rodney S. Swinson, preceded her in death.
The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the service on Thursday, and other times at the residence.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Duplin County General Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 278, Kenansville, N.C., 28349; or to Bear Marsh Baptist Church, 1649 Beautancus Road, Mount Olive, N.C., 28365.
Arrangements by Tyndall Funeral Home in Mount Olive.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on April 4, 2006 2:33 PM