Submitted by: Dan Rich
Nov. 29, 1923 - Jan. 6, 2008
South Bend Tribune 1/8/2008
MISHAWAKA - Mary Louise (Tavernier) Davis, 84, of
Mishawaka, passed away Sunday morning January 6 in the St. Joseph
Regional Medical Center, South Bend. Mary was born on November
29, 1923, to George Leonard and Veronica Marie (Gase) Tavernier
in Mishawaka. She was a member of the Mishawaka High School class
of 1943, receiving her diploma and walking with the graduates in
1983.
On July 11, 1942, she married Carl E. Davis.
He preceded her in death in 1975. She helped her husband, Carl,
operate the Carl Davis Shell Station from 1967 to 1972. Mary
worked many years at Uniroyal, VanDer Heyden Construction,
Ziolkowski Construction, Valley American Bank, National City
Bank, and, most recently, at Notre Dame Eck Tennis Pavilion. Mary
was a volunteer Eucharistic minister at the St. Joseph Regional
Medical Center for many years, serving the Eucharist on all
floors on Saturdays. She was a member of the St. Matthew
Cathedral in South Bend for over 54 years. At the church she was
involved as a Eucharistic Minister, and the Rosary Society. She
found great joy in ceramics, making floral arrangements, doll
making and repair. (She made over fifty Raggedy Ann dolls). Her
most passionate pursuit was genealogy, having put in 25 years of
research and compiling her family's genealogy.
Mary is survived by her children, Carl
Delmar (Pamela) Davis of Des Moines, IA, Susan Marie Molnar, of
South Bend, Alma Jeanne (Steve) Makurat, of Bloomington,
IN, Vicki Davis, of Elkhart, and Joseph Molnar, of
Granger. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren, Matthew
Molnar, of Granger, Michelle (Mike) Peli, of Las Vegas,
NV, Meredith (Erick) Deckard, of Bloomington, IN, Michael
(Shari) Davis, of Saratoga Springs, UT, Phillip Davis, of Groves,
TX, David (Melanie) Davis, of Lakeland, FL, Erica Makurat, of
Bloomington, IN, Jessica (David) Cross, of Des Moines, IA, Audria
Tucker of Independence MO and Crystal Tucker of San Diego,
CA; along with 16 great-grandchildren, Ryan and Rachel Davis of
Saratoga Springs, UT, Carleigh, Allyssa, Lauren, and Hayden Davis
of Groves, TX, Heather Davis, Justin Walker, and Brooke
Davis, of Lakeland, FL, Devon Adams/Molnar of Plymouth, IN,
Kaitlin, Alexander, and Thomas Peli, of Las Vegas, NV, Mikayla
Deckard and Hailey Makurat, of Bloomington, IN, and Zac Cross,
of Des Moines, IA.
Mary is also survived by a brother, Robert
(Dorothy) Tavernier, of Mishawaka; and four sisters, Irene (John)
Parks, of Belvidere, IL, Alice (Eugene) Sayer, of
Plymouth, Billie Vaughn, of Mishawaka, and Betty Simon,
of Bremen, IN; and one sister-in-law, Nondeis Tavernier. Mary was
preceded in death by three brothers, George, Paul and Julius
Tavernier, and three sisters, Emily Tavernier, Frances Keyser,
and Pauline Tavernier. She was also preceded in death by a
brother-in-law, Thomas Simon; and a grandson, Mitchell Anderson.
Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 9, in the Bubb Funeral Chapel, 3910 N. Main St., where a Rosary will be said at 4:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 10 in the St. Matthew Catholic Cathedral in South Bend. Burial is to follow in the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Osceola. Memorial contributions may be made to either Hospice of St. Joseph County, or to the St. Matthew Catholic Cathedral.