Mary Davidson

MARY DAVIDSON, 90, of Jacksonville, Florida passed away on October 10, 2013. Born in New Jersey, and then at the age of ten, her family moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where she happily spent the remainder of her days. She graduated from Florida State College for Women (now Florida State University) with a Bachelors degree in education, and worked on her Masters degree at the University of Florida. She is predeceased by her parents Herbert and Alma Lee, her husband Wendell, her brother Bert, and her daughter Beth. Mary started her career as a high school teacher after World War II at Jackson High School, where at times she was younger than some of her students. In recent years, she attended the 60th reunion of her first graduating class. Mary assisted her husband in several successful businesses they owned over a span of 45 years, continuing to do the books into her late seventies. Their legacy continues, as several of those businesses are still in the family today. Mary enjoyed riding horses, was an enthusiastic Girl Scout leader, and president of the PTA for many years during her children’s education. She was a member of the founding Board of Governors at Epping Forest Yacht Club, and the Founders Club at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital. She was president of the local chapter of the Audubon Society and hosted their annual Christmas Count for many years. She and her sister, Peggy Powell, took numerous birding trips in which she accumulated over 700 life birds. Some of her more notable trips were to the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska, the Galapagos Islands, and to Machu Picchu. She enjoyed her rose garden and was an active member of the Rose Society. Upon her childhood move to Jacksonville, she became a member of Elizabeth Swaim Memorial United Methodist Church. It was also at Swaim where she met her husband of almost 50 years, Wendell Davidson, who had just been discharged from the military after World War II. Throughout her life, she taught Sunday school, was involved in Methodist Women, also an Official Board member and played piano in church every Sunday for many years until her death.

She is survived by her three sons, Wendell (Susan), Randy (Marsha), and Jimmy (Ronda); her grandchildren, Brittany, Bryan (Krista), Brett, Stephen, Holly, Caroline, and Kayla, her sister Peggy (Hugh) Powell, and her nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service and Celebration of Mary’s Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, November 3, 2013 at Elizabeth Swaim Memorial United Methodist Church, 1620 Naldo Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207. A luncheon will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, her family requests donations to Swaim Church in her honor.