Edna Marie Daves

Edna Marie Daves was born on February 26, 1923, in Dinuba, CA, to Jacob and Katherine (Nielsen) Henkel. She attended Orosi High School, graduating in 1942. Edna entered Reedley College shortly thereafter, where she met and became engaged to the love of her life, Edward H. Daves, of Kingsburg, CA.

After her fiancé, Edward Daves, enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps, Edna, not content to sit at home, joined the Navy WAVES, and soon left for training as a Control Tower Operator. In fact, her fiancé did not even know she had enlisted in 1943; she had been so busy with training she neglected to tell him. He only found out about it when he saw her photo in an article in Popular Mechanics magazine while reading on a train. After Edna completed her naval training, she was assigned to Alameda Naval Air Station and was one of the primary operators in the Control Tower. She loved her wartime job, and in particular enjoyed reminiscing about meeting movie star, Tyrone Power, when he visited the Alameda control tower. Mr. Power apparently told the duty officer to "Say hello to that cute little WAVE in the tower for me," referring to Edna. She was so enamored of him that she refused to wash the coffee cup he drank from during his visit for weeks after his departure! Edna was still telling this story even up to a few weeks before her passing, as it was one of the highlights of her life.

Once her fiancé, Ed, retuned from Europe, she was honorably discharged from the Navy, and they married on July 28, 1945, in her hometown of Orosi, CA. After her husband left the military in 1947, they returned to California, where they then both enrolled in degree programs at San Jose State College. Edna received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950, and thereafter an Elementary Teaching Credential. She taught in Folsom, CA until 1952, when they returned to Fresno, where she began teaching at Columbia Elementary School. Edna decided to interrupt her teaching career for a while to raise her two children, but eventually, she returned to the profession at Dailey Annex Pre-School in the 1960's, then went on to teach Kindergarten at Dailey Elementary School, and finally at Viking Elementary School until 1982. She officially retired from Fresno Unified School District in 1983. She always spoke of her great personal delight in working with and guiding young children for so many years. She believed strongly in the mission of public education to create thoughtful, educated citizens who would protect and support our democracy, and considered teaching a civic calling as much as her well loved profession.

Edna was an active and proud member of the Fresno American Ex POW Club, Chapter 1; the Fresno chapter of the California Retired Teachers Association; the 401st Bomb Group Association; as well as being a former member of Eastern Star; and the Scholia Club. Her wartime story as a World War II Navy WAVE was also published in Stories of Service, Volume 2, by local author, Janice Stevens.

Edna was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Mildred Eggleston, and Thelma Petersen; and her brothers, Elmer and Reuben Henkel.

She is survived by her daughter, Jill Daves Plaunt and her husband Christian of Fresno; her son Gregory; her sister, Doris Johnstone of Concord, CA; her nieces, Marsha Robinson of Hanford, CA, Linda Patterson of Sea Ranch, CA, Lonna Torrico of Coto de Caza, CA, and Dian Coleman of Windsor, CA; her nephews, Gary Henkel of Redwood City, CA, Richard Henkel of Belmont, CA, Steven Henkel of Fresno, Rod Johnstone of Concord, CA, John Johnstone of Santa Cruz, CA, and Marvin Moss of Bay Point, CA.

Visitation will be held at Lisle Funeral Home on Friday, March 13, 2015 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

A Memorial Graveside Service will be held at Fresno Memorial Gardens on Saturday, March 14, 2015, at 11:00 a.m.

The family requests that remembrances be made to St. Agnes Hospice; to the Fresno chapter of the California Retired Teachers Association; or to the donor's favorite charity.