Ethelwyn Joyce Davis

July 10, 1922 was a bright and sunny San Francisco day when Ethelwyn Joyce Davis came into this world. Effie, as she was called by her friends, was loved, admired and respected by all who knew her. Effie moved to Southern California and in June, 1940 she graduated from Compton Junior College High School. Effie lived in Compton until 1955 when she and her family moved to her home in Bellflower.

Effie eventually went to work for the then Los Angles County Marshals Office and ultimately elevated to a newly created position of Deputy Marshal Matron. Effie was one of the oldest females attending the Los Angles County Sheriffs Academy. It is hard to envision her running, jumping, scaling the six foot wall, but she did it. At the time, the Marshals Office dealt with the courts and civil process. Effie's job involved escorting detainees within the court system and overseeing jurors. She also assisted in interpreting in sign language for the hearing impaired. In July, 1981 she retired from the Marshals Office and spent the next 27 years as an active member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Bellflower and most recently Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Downey. At Our Savior, Effie loved being a member of the choir, working hard to support Pastor Lossner, the church and all its activities. She was an active member of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League and served on the zone board for many years. She truly enjoyed all of the LWML functions and attending the conventions. Effie also volunteered at Trinity Lutheran Church; assembling, packing and shipping translations of the bible and sermons printed in Braille to be shipped around the world for the seeing impaired.

Forty-one years ago, Effie's husband Mark worked with Ralph Bennett. Effie heard that Ralph's wife Charlotte was going to have a baby so Effie offered to give Charlotte a baby shower. Effie and Charlotte's lives have been intertwined ever since. Anyone who knows Effie, knows her alter ego, her twin, her sister, her kindred spirit, Charlotte Bennett. As Forrest Gump said, “they go together like peas and carrots”. It was rare to see one without the other. They were the best of friends and shared many fond memories. Charlotte has become a beloved member of the Kelly and Davis families and will remain an important part of Effie's family.

Effie also enjoyed traveling and spending time with her friends and family. Effie particularly liked ocean cruises and resort style island vacations in warmer climates such as Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, Jamaica, Moorea, and Tahiti.

Once Effie became a grandmother, she became known as “Nana” and ultimately was Nana to four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Nana loved being involved in all of the church and school activaties of the young ones. Nana loved the school plays, Christmas programs, assorted recitals and graduations from preschool to college. When her granddaughters, Dana and Diane attended the University of Southern California, Nana became an avid USC football fan. Every Saturday during football season, Nana and Charlotte, would sit in front of the television set, wearing their USC clothing, pom-poms in hand, where they would yell at the television set and root for the Trojans.

Nana had a full and enjoyable life, but on February 6, 2008, at 85 years of age, our beloved Nana succumbed to cancer aggravated by respiratory and heart complications.

Ethelwyn Joyce Davis is survived by her son, Kenneth Kelly and his wife Barbara, son Mark Davis II, Daughter-in-Law Alyce Faye Kelly, grandchildren Kristyne Kelly, David Scott Kelly, his wife Kelly, Dana Kelly Melsom, her husband John, Diane Kelly, great-grandchildren Jennyfer Hooper, David Mathew Kelly and Danielle Kelly, great-great-grandchildren Eric Kelly-Gonzalez and David Jeremiah Kelly. She was preceded in death by her husband Mark Davis and eldest son, David Thomas Kelly.

Nana, your family and friends all love you and miss you more than anyone can imagine.