Mary Elizabeth (Grove) Davis, 95, of Salem, VA, died December 2, 2017 after a brief illness. Mrs. Davis, known to her many friends as Beth, was born October 3, 1922 in Bradford, PA, the beloved daughter of John Melvin and Ruth Evans Grove. She married Harry Edmund Davis Jr on March 12, 1945, and they lived together for 63 years until his death in 2008. Beth raised and is survived by her four children, Dianne (Patrick) Byrne of Roanoke, VA; Mike (Ellie) Davis of Stockton Springs, ME; Mark (Sandra) Davis of Amarillo, TX; and Matt Davis, also of Amarillo, TX. Beth was also blessed with six grandchildren, Amy McBee, Kerry Speicher, Kevin Byrne, Jessica Keppeler, Benjamin Davis, and Katie Davis, and ten great grandchildren (Grace, Norah, Cole, Griffin, Quinn, Sloane, Eve, Tess, Elliot and Brynn). Beth emphasized the importance of education throughout her life, both for herself and for her family. She graduated from Bradford Sr. High School in 1940, and went on to Indiana State Teachers College (now Penn State University at Indiana) from 1940 - 41 and Pennsylvania College for Women (now Chatham) in Pittsburgh, PA from 1941-42 where she was named the Snow Queen at the winter festival. Taking time out for her children, Mrs. Davis returned to school at the Ohio State University from 1956-57, and then West Texas State University in Canyon, TX, where she was awarded her hard-won Bachelor of Science degree in 1965. Mrs. Davis worked hard her whole life, as a store clerk in hardware, clothing, and candy stores as a young girl, and then in the repair service for Bell Telephone. During the war years she trained and served as a Petroleum Lab Technician for Corning Glass Co., and following her college graduation worked as a teacher in Developmental and Remedial Reading, and for the Texas State Department of Public Welfare protecting abused and neglected children. Beth lived a full and active life and will be sadly missed.

A memorial service will be conducted at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Salem, at 11:00 AM on Thursday, December 7, 2017. Rev. James W. Lively will officiate. The family will receive friends in the parish hall following the service. An online guest book is available for family and friends by visiting www.johnmoakey.com.