Earlyne Davis Metcalf

November 19, 1940 – October 14, 2026

After several years living with Lewy body dementia, Earlyne Davis Metcalf passed away peacefully on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 14, 2026, in Bakersfield, California, surrounded by her husband and family. She was 85.

Earlyne was born Miller Earlyne Davis on November 19, 1940, in Beaumont, Texas, to William Earl Davis and Miller Martin Davis. Sharing a first name with her mother, she went by Earlyne from the start. She grew up at North End Methodist Church, where she was active in the Methodist Youth Fellowship. She and Ed both attended Beaumont's French High School, but it was church friends who brought them together. Someone invited Ed to an MYF lemonade social at Earlyne's house, and the rest is history.

After Ed graduated from Lamar University and was recruited by Boeing, the two married in June 1961 and set off for Seattle, Washington, with dear friends Chuck and Patsy Royston. It was the first of many adventures. Earlyne took her first job at Boeing, putting her graphic design studies to work. She and Ed welcomed their first "child" there: a Siamese cat named Thor.

Ed's career with Boeing, NASA's Apollo program, and later Occidental Petroleum took the family from Seattle to Clear Lake City, Texas, and eventually around the world. Earlyne proudly counted 18 moves over their marriage and treated each one as a new adventure. While raising Eric and Erin, she studied interior design at San Jacinto College, then worked for design firms and shops wherever their travels allowed. Her favorite chapters were in the United Kingdom and in Bogotá, Colombia. In England she fell in love with antiques and British history, and any family or friends who visited got a personal historical tour of London and beyond, whether they had planned on one or not.

Ed and Earlyne retired to Austin, Texas, where they spent about 25 years and put down deep roots. Austin always felt like home. There she dove into genealogy, which led to her membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. The couple moved to Bakersfield shortly before 2020.

Earlyne was always beautifully put together, with her outfit coordinated, her jewelry chosen, her makeup on, and her hair just so. Underneath the polish was a delightfully silly sense of humor. Decorating was her great passion, and no room or piece of furniture in the Metcalf home was safe from a redo. She loved her flower gardens, the hummingbirds she and Ed watched from the window, and Siamese cats.

Her dearest friend for more than 75 years was Darby. They met at about age nine and quickly worked out a system: Earlyne would help Darby finish her chores, then Darby would help Earlyne finish hers, and then they were free to go have fun. That loyalty never wavered. In Earlyne's later years, Darby's steady phone calls and cards, sometimes two a week, filled with news and photos of her flowers and cats, were a gift that meant more to Earlyne and her family than words can say.

Her faith was central to her life, and she was a member of First United Methodist Church in Bakersfield. Following her mother and aunt, she was a third-generation member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. With every move, her P.E.O. sisters gave her a ready-made circle of friendship and support. That legacy continues through her daughter Erin, her daughter-in-law Kathy, and her granddaughter Melissa.

Earlyne is survived by Ed, her husband of 65 years; her son, Eric Metcalf, and his wife, Kathy; her daughter, Erin Metcalf; her grandchildren, Lucas and Melissa Metcalf; and her sister-in-law, Col. (Ret.) Virginia Ann Metcalf, U.S. Army. She was preceded in death by her parents, William Earl Davis and Miller Martin Davis.

A graveside service will be held Friday, October 30, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. at Hillcrest Memorial Park, 9101 Kern Canyon Road, Bakersfield, with Pastor Jason Thornton of First United Methodist Church officiating. A reception will follow from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 4600 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association at lbda.org/honor-memorial-gifts, or by mail to 912 Killian Hill Road SW, Lilburn, GA .