Hadylene graduated from Eureka High School in 1954, and on September 4, 1954 she married the love of her life George Washington Davis, Jr. of Fremont, North Carolina. They were married at the Eureka United Methodist Church. This September would have marked their 65th wedding anniversary.
While George was in pharmacy school at UNC-Chapel Hill, Hadylene worked performing clerical duties at the UNC Hospital. After her husband graduated from pharmacy school in 1962, the couple lived in Dunn and Wilmington, North Carolina, and in 1964 relocated to New Bern, where Hadylene created a loving home for her husband and two children while working as a bookkeeper for New Bern Medical Arts Pharmacy. She was a friend to many and a great mother. She loved her family dearly and took wonderful care of them.
Hadylene loved sports, and especially loved the trips to Chapel Hill to watch the UNC Tarheels play football and basketball. She loved travelling with friends and family up and down the East coast and occasionally to Europe. One of her favorite trips was to Israel with members of Centenary United Methodist Church. Hadylene was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church since the mid-1960’s. She helped with Cub Scouts and later served on the Altar Guild. She participated in many Community Christian Fellowship Bible studies over the years. In the later part of her life she was unable to attend her church due to declining health and dementia, but she continued her friendships with members and former and current pastors as her health allowed.
Hadylene loved her family and her friends, and she treasured her six grandchildren. She loved having them at her home and having them there for sleepovers. George, Drew, Larkin, Austin, James and Coley were her true blessings. Because of her rural upbringing, Hadylene had a love of growing things, especially flowers. She maintained ties with her Eureka High School Class of 1954, and she and George would often attend reunions.
Our mother was steadfast, always teaching, and always showering us with unconditional love, even when we made mistakes. She was always ready to give a hug or Christian instruction. She will be missed very much.
In addition to her parents, Hadylene was preceded in death by her husband George Washington Davis, Jr. She was also predeceased by her paternal grandparents William Herbert Phillips and Ethel Mae Shingleton, and her maternal grandparents Walter Erastus Cook and Annie Pearl Coley Cook, who raised her after her mother died at an early age.
Hadylene is survived by her half-sisters Ann Barbee and Ava Campbell and husband Lynn. She is also survived by a son, George Washington Davis, III (Dave) and wife Joanna and a daughter Lisa Rose Davis Bayliss and husband Andy. Grandchildren include George Washington Davis, IV and wife Erin, Larkin Pettigrew Longstreet Davis, James Bryant Davis, Thomas Andrews Bayliss, V and wife Catherine, Curtis Austin Bayliss and wife Mary Beth, and granddaughter Coley Ann Bayliss. Hadylene is also survived by a great-grandchild, Charleston Ray Bayliss. She leaves behind a number of very dear nieces and nephews and their families, as well as cousins Lee Horne, Hadie Horne, Doris Pruitt and Patricia Smith and their families.
The family would like to thank the nursing staff at Homeplace Assisted Living and Memory Care for their loving care of our mother and grandmother. We also want to thank William Price, Don Forcier and Cindy Brzys for their faithful service and friendship, and the pastoral staff and members of Centenary church.
A private graveside service will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2019 at 1:00 for family and friends, followed by a service and reception at Centenary United Methodist Church at 2:00.
Memorial contributions may be made to Centenary United Methodist Church at P. O. Box 1388, New Bern, NC, 28563.
Arrangements by Cotten Funeral Home & Crematory. Online condolences may be made to the Davis Family at www.cottenfuneralhome.com
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