Martha Jane DeLano Davis Obituary (1928 - 2018)

Martha Jane DeLano Davis passed away peacefully on February 14, 2018 at the age of 90 after a short illness. She is survived by her sister, Mary Rizzardi, sons Carl and Jonathan, 6 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. Martha was born on February 4, 1928 to Carl and Irene DeLano, the second of three daughters. She grew up on a farm north of Kalamazoo, Michigan. She attended a one-room schoolhouse, Cooper District #5, on Westnedge Avenue and high school in Kalamazoo before entering the University of Michigan in 1944. She graduated in 1948 with a BA in English and an interest in broadcasting. She worked for a time in New York City before returning to the University where she met Philip Davis, a photography instructor. They were married on April 6, 1953 and moved to a rural property near Dexter where they raised a family and lived for over 50 years. Martha was actively involved with many local charities including the Red Cross, the Band Boosters, the PTA and, starting in 1967, the Dexter Public Library. She served as a board member and president of the Library for over 40 years and in 2007 saw the ground-breaking of the Dexter District Library, a showplace on the banks of Huron River. She is remembered as a tireless volunteer who never took "no" for an answer. Martha enjoyed reading, cooking, knitting, and puzzles of every sort. She was a life-long Detroit Tigers fan and rarely missed a game on the radio. She and Philip played golf at Ann Arbor Country Club where they were charter members. In their retirement, Philip and Martha travelled the world including trips to China, Europe, Australia, and Mexico. They especially enjoyed the quiet solitude of freighter cruises which took them to places tourists normally would not see and she wrote beautiful journals of their experiences. In June 2010 she left the farm and moved to the Cedars of Dexter, a retirement community only a mile from the library she helped build. She hosted a weekly Sunday brunch there for several years. As age caught up with her, she approached the inevitable changes with the same interest and curiosity that she showed throughout her life. Although there were frustrating times, she was never bitter. With a little smile on her face, she would say, "Now isn't this interesting?" She will be missed by all of us who had the opportunity to know and love her. A memorial gathering will be held at a later date. It is suggested that those wishing to make a donation in Martha's honor do so to the "Friends of the Dexter District Library", 3255 Alpine Street, Dexter MI 48130.