Margaret J Payne Davis

Margaret Payne-Davis was born the fourth of five children to Courtney Ray Payne and Mildred Gilger-Payne in Wichita Falls, Texas on February 6, 1935. She married James Edward Davis in Kingsville, Texas on January 4, 1955, after he stole her away from his best friend while on leave from the Army. She lived her early married years as both a military and collegian wife while as James returned to the University of Texas on a football scholarship after being honorably discharged as a Military Policeman during the Korean War in Japan. During his time in the Army, he also played football.

Margaret had a love for music and was a music major at Texas A&I University (now known as A&M) in Kingsville, TX, where she focused on voice and the piano in hopes of becoming an elementary music teacher. She left school soon after delivering her third of four children in 1959.

In 1968, the family moved to Alief, Texas where James coached football, basketball and track. He was also teaching driver’s education and health for Alief ISD. Margaret took a job as a registrar at Boone Elementary in Alief ISD, as well.

When Elsik High School opened in 1975, Margaret became head registrar for what was to become the largest high school in the state with over 1,200 graduates per year. James and Margaret both retired from the Alief School Distrcit at the age of 70.

Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, James Davis, Sr., her first child, James E. Davis, Jr., and youngest daughter, Brenda Kaye Davis.

She is survived by her daughter, Sandra Davis, and son, Mark L. Davis, Sr., as well as her three grandchildren: Kaley Jane Davis; Amber Lynne Davis; and Mark L. Davis, Jr. She is also survived by her two of four brothers, Billy Payne of Salado, Texas and Jerry Payne of Boerne, Texas.

Margaret went to meet Jesus in the family home at the age of 82, surrounded by her two remaining children, Sandra and Mark. Though she endured 42 years of ill health, it never prevented her from loving life. She was a magnet for children and loved her two nieces, Shannon Payne-Palmer and Lynn Payne-Miller who spent many hours and summers at the family’s 32-acre farm in Alief,TX where she raised them as her own. Lunch and dinner were often times where she was found feeding many of the children of Alief, who over the years rode their bikes and later their cars to the family farm because she made them feel welcome.

She always rose well before dawn and stayed up late in order to meet the needs of her family. Margaret was, as the Bible refers to in Proverbs 31:10-31, a virtuous woman. As the family’s prayer warrior, her children still vow that she had a habit of interrupting their promiscuous teen activities through prayer, and when it was well past curfew, as God mysteriously delivered her messages to them to get home now! Margaret would remain in bed, as her sometimes-wayward children would have crept slowly in, only to find it was James sitting in the dark waiting to administer discipline. Margaret was a woman whose prayers were both heard and answered by God, with the ability to travel great distances.

She will be missed and remembered for the encouragement, joy and prayers she gave to all. She was an “Iron Lady” who never let adversity or poor health stand in her way of enjoying life and holding tightly to God. Those who know Margaret can sum her character up in one word: love.

Friends and family are invited to attend a visitation on Sunday, November 5, 2017 at 12:00pm at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home with a funeral service to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in the memory of Margaret Davis to:

The Encourager Church, 10950 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77043. Phone 713-722-4300