Marion June Davis

COL Marion June Davis, USA Ret., died January 7, 2016 at the Army Residence Community (ARC) in San Antonio, Texas from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. She was born October 29, 1929 in Concord, New Hampshire, the eldest child of Melvin George and Olive Evelyn Preve Davis. She had two brothers, Richard George and Robert Everett. Marion had many lifelong friends dating back to her elementary school days. About a dozen of her friends in high school, some from her kindergarten days, formed the Hi-Jinks Club, which obviously was not a school club, and Marion excelled in being the instigator of their shenanigans. She had an old car, which her father’s Firemen coworkers painted fire-truck red for her, and she would pile in as many of the girls as possible, and went off on many adventures. Amazingly for more than 60 years the group has gotten together for an annual reunion in Concord, NH. After Marion Graduated from high school in 1947, she completed the Nursing Program at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Hanover, New Hampshire in 1951. Marion entered the Army Nurse Corps in 1953, becoming the first nurse from her hometown to become an Army Officer. She left active duty in 1957 to attend the University of San Francisco where she earned her BSN degree in 1961. Soon after she graduated, during the Berlin Crisis, she was recalled to active duty. While on active duty the Army selected her for graduate school where she received her MSN from Indiana University in 1967. Marion remained on active duty until she retired in 1980. She loved the challenge of a variety of assignments. During her career she served in various clinical positions which included bedside nursing at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, Madigan General Hospital, Tacoma, WA and the 544th General Dispensary in Yokohama, Japan. She served in nursing administration at Hays Army Hospital, Fort Ord, CA, the 98th General Hospital, Nuremberg, Germany and at the 71st Evacuation Hospital in Pleiku, Vietnam. She taught Enlisted courses at Madigan General Hospital in Tacoma, WA, Officer and Enlisted courses at the Medical Field Service School in San Antonio, TX. She had two assignments in staff work in the Enlisted Training Branch and in the Career Planning Branch of the Army Nurse Corps, both assignments in the Office of the Army Surgeon General, Washington, DC. Her last assignment before retiring was in the Training and Doctrine Command Headquarters at Fort Monroe, Virginia. This was only the second time a nurse was assigned to that Command. Marion’s career in the Army Nurse Corps is testimony to her organizational abilities, having had assignments in education and administration for nearly half of her career. Marion was a meticulous and dedicated officer who excelled in her professional roles. Her attention to detail, her eagerness and enthusiasm to tackle any job given to her, her hard work made her a valuable and sought after officer. She said she enjoyed every assignment she ever had whether in clinical nursing, teaching, administration or staff work, but really loved staff work. She displayed an exemplary performance of duty which she carried out with indefatigable energy. Her untiring efforts in instructing and guiding junior and senior officers was particularly noteworthy. She was a perceptive mentor for her young trainees and to those who served under her leadership. She was regarded by her students, as well as member of her staff, with remarkable affection and respect. And because they liked her they teased her a lot. During her service she received numerous awards and accolades. Her medals included the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnam Service Medal with 4 Bronze Service Stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, and Meritorious Unit Commendation. She was a member of the Army Nurse Corps Association, Military Officers Association of America, AARP, and was a charter member of the Army Nurse Corps Scholarship Fund at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX. Sports were her first and enduring love. Marion was passionate about sports, both as a player and as a spectator. There were few sports that she did not follow. She followed all college and professional basketball teams, never missed a Silver Stars game, and was a big fan of the Spurs. In fact, she watched nearly every sport on TV except baseball – not fast enough she said. Marion was an avid golfer. She always said she was not good… but AVID! She held many positions in the Fort Sam Houston Women’s Golf Association and the San Antonio Women’s Golf Association throughout the years. Marion played in many golf tournaments in Texas and many of her golfing buddies rode with her to play in them. She was deeply involved in the organization of the first Senior Olympic Games in San Antonio, TX in 1991. She was an active senior Olympian for 10 years, participating primarily in basketball and volleyball at the local, state and national levels. Her basketball team took Silver at the 1993 National Senior Olympic Games and she was overjoyed that her Volleyball team won the National Championship at the 1997 National Senior Olympic Games. She continued to bowl with the Women’s Bowling League at Fort Sam Houston until she was 80. Dancing was another great love. She never missed an opportunity to dance. She grew up wanting to be either a ballroom dancer or a professional basketball player, years before women could play professionally. She had the most amazing ability to remember the words to probably every song she had ever heard. Some were so long ago or less known that no one else remembered the tune, much less the words. And then there were CARS! Marion loved cars. She was always looking at cars, checking their specs, test driving ones that took her fancy. She got her first car in high school and continued to buy new ones every year or so. Her friends were convinced that she kept a car only until it was dirty and then, instead of washing it, she just a new one. Marion was a smart, good looking lady with a great personality, a marvelous sense of humor and a beautiful smile. She was respected by her peers, her subordinates and her superiors in the military. She was serious about her professional duties, and was funny and fun-loving all her life. She worked hard and played hard. She was a wonderful friend, considerate and helpful to everyone she knew. Marion is survived by her youngest brother, Robert of Boynton Beach, FL and his daughters: Donna Davis, Concord, MA; and Debra Antoine, Cordova, TN; and by brother Richard’s widow, Mary Davis of Hudson, NH and their daughters; Barbara O’Brien, Merrimack, NH, Beverly Osmer, Concord, NH, and Darlene Davis, Hudson, NH, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins and legions of friends. She met her oldest friend, Fay Crowley, Boscawen, NH in Kindergarten. Many thanks and appreciation to devoted and caring nurses Vicki Reyes, Kenya Deese, Oksana Yudina, Lilia Romero, Carl Mathis, and Margaret Smith; and to nursing assistants Sonia Howard, Maria Miller, Kathy Sutherlun, Rosa Ramirez, Betina Campuzano, Emma Dunn and the many other assistants to the Oaks, too numerous to mention by name, who took such good care of Marion. Special mention goes to Marion’s loving companions Sophia Garcia, Erika Tupas and Lashell Childs who were involved the most in her day-to-day care. Particular recognition goes to her Hospice Nurse, Tonya Roberts and assistant, Mame Jones; and to Hospice Nurse, Simmie Lewis, and assistant, Carol Word. They were always there for her. Marion touched so many lives and this poem captures what Marion would like of us now.

“I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one; I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when the day is done. I’d like to leave and echo whispering softly down the ways, of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days. I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun of happy memories that I leave behind when the day is done.”

Those wishing to honor Marion could swim a lap for her, walk a mile, play a round of golf, dance a waltz, send pizza to the Oaks at the ARC or donate to the Alzheimer’s Association. At her request there will be no services. Her ashes will be placed in the columbarium at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. A First Friday Mass on February 5th at 9:00 am in the Army Residence Community Chapel will be dedicated to Marion. Memoires of Marion are happy ones. She leaves an afterglow of smiles when day is done. She will be greatly missed.