Elaine Anne (Merke) Davis

ELAINE ANNE (MERKE) DAVISElaine Anne (Merke) Davis, age 79, of Marshall died Friday, November 3, 2006 at Tendercare of Marshall.Mrs. Davis was born on December 10, 1926 in Stambaugh, Michigan to Charles and Elmie "Lettie" (Carlson) Merke. Elaine has been a resident of Marshall since 1985, moving here from Barrington, IL. On March 27, 1948, she married Raymond "Ray" Arthur Davis in Washington, D.C... Mr. Davis was serving in the United States Navy and shortly following their marriage was given a tour in Japan. The couple resided in Japan for two years, then moving to Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. Davis'' employment then took the couple to Mt. Prospect, Illinois.Elaine was proud to be a Uper, she tried to return to her childhood home in Iron County each year. She was a graduate of Galesburg High School and her many high school friends were a special part of her whole life. They gathered every summer at Gull Lake, coming from all over the country.Prior to her marriage, Elaine had been employed as a White House secretary for the General in charge of the War Department, during the Harry Truman administration. When President Truman chose to write his own speeches, Elaine was the one he asked for to take the dictation and type the speech because she was the one who could get it just right. Close friend, John Collin used to tease Ray and Elaine about the fact that they were, "Our only friends who had danced at the White House". Moving to Marshall, Ray and Elaine owned and operated Heirlooms Unlimited, an antique store specializing in American Brilliant Cut Glass. Elaine was the authority that all other antique dealers in the area turned to when they had questions on the subject. The couple operated the store for many years, closing in the mid 1990''s. For the last four and a half years, she has been one of the owners of Marshall Town and Country Antiques, a large group shop with 35 - 40 dealers located in downtown Marshall. Elaine was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Marshall and was a charter member of the Marshall Garden Club. She enjoyed maintaining about an acre of beautiful gardens at their home on North Kalamazoo Avenue. She was also a charter member of Altrusa of Marshall which became NetWork.An avid genealogist, she traveled the world looking for ancestors of hers and also Ray''s. Her favorite destination for research was Aberdeen, Scotland though Ohio and Pennsylvania often gave her great discoveries. Travel was a special treat to Elaine, as long as it didn''t involve an airplane. The Williamsburg Antiques Forum provided a warm winter break for some of the last several Februaries. She never lost the desire to study and learn more about antiques and her family tree. Susan Collins remembers that Elaine didn''t enjoy making scarecrows but was willing to set up and run the merchandise committee for the Marshall Scarecrow Festival for the first four years.Elaine was a very talented needlework artist. Her crewelwork, embroidery, cross-stitch and beadwork pieces were exquisite. In the last few years, she has been reproducing some of the Christmas Tablecloths that she had originally created back in the 1950''s and 60''s.Always a lady; Elaine had a wicked sense of humor though that humor was never at someone else''s expense. Ray and their two son and their families were the light of her life. Devotion to all of them took precedence over anything else that came along.She is survived by her husband, Ray; sons, Scott (Kathy) Davis of Elgin, IL Michigan and Raymond "Pete" (JoAnn) Davis of Rockford, IL; grandchildren, Donald, Adam, Annie, Mandy, Katie and Megan Davis.The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 8:00 Tuesday at the Craig K. Kempf Funeral Home. Funeral services to celbrate her life will be held 1:30 pm Wednesday, November 8, 2006 at the funeral home with Reverend Seth Weeldryer officiating. Interment will take place in Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Crystal Falls, Michigan. Friends who wish may make memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society. Assistance with memorials is available at the funeral home.