Mariana Davis, age 83, of the Hundred Acre Wood community, passed away Saturday, June 12, 2021. She earned her Bachelor, Masters and PhD from the University of Tennessee in education and guidance. She worked for her favorite people, students, as an educator and counselor in the Knox County School System for 50n years as well as the Saint Mary's School of Nursing. Mariana was devoted to her teaching and counseling stations of her life because she wanted to share her skill and knowledge with others.
She often took her very young nephew, Joe Helms, to downtown Knoxville to teach him how to drive a three-speed mustang in traffic. She did love her mustang cars. Her interests not only included helping children and students but also learning to sail, learning to play the bagpipes, and collecting old coins. Bird watching was another life-long hobby for her. Golfing was her passion which worked well with her Golf Ranger job on Saturdays. As Piglet once said, "The things that make me different are the things that make me, me."
She has had so many wonderful friends throughout her lifetime, like Margaret Heins, and she shared Winnie the Pooh's philosophy about friends. "A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside." Her friends did enrich her life like one of Pooh's pots of honey. Being a member of
All Saints Catholic Church, she cherished her church friends. One quotation that was so dear to her heart was as follows;
"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together,
keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever."
Preceded in death by mother, Anna Will; father, Thomas M.; sister, Martha Ellen Helms; and brother-in-law, Nathan Helms.
Survivors include niece, Anna Marie Hughes (Danny); nephew, Joe Helms; great nieces, Rachael Coleman (Sam) and Haley Anna Powers (Adam); great-great nieces, Abigail (Jio), Adelia Coleman and Joselyn Powers; great-great nephews, Atticus and Asher Coleman. Mariana is survived by many wonderful friends who brought her so much happiness and pleasure as did the caregivers at The Nursing Center at Little Creek.
The family will receive friends from 5:00-7:00 P.M., Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in the parlors of Berry Funeral Home, 3704 Chapman Hwy, Knoxville. Family and friends will meet Thursday, June 17, 2021 at Clark's Grove Cemetery, 3217 Williams Mill Road, Maryville, TN for a 2:00pm Graveside Service. Deacon Tim Elliot will be conducting the service, and Katelyn Liles will sing. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, 119 Dameron Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. The family invites friends to share fond memories and sign the online guestbook at www.berryfuneralhome.com.
