Donna Davis

Donna E. Davis, 74, passed away at home on April 24, 2013 at home, after a battle with cancer.

Donna Elslager Davis was born on July 27, 1938 at Oil City Hospital in Oil City, PA. She was the older of two children born to Thomas R. and Mary Anne Walter Elslager of Clarion. After graduating from Clarion Area High School, she attended Lake Erie College for Women, graduating with a BA in Fine Arts with a major in music and a minor in education. As a junior, she spent a semester at the University of Tubingen, in Germany.

She married Clark Spaulding Davis in 1960, four days after her graduation, after meeting him at Chautauqua in 1959. Their marriage lasted fifty years, until Mr. Davis' death in 2010. After a brief honeymoon to New England, Mr. and Mrs. Davis resided at 2150 W. 8th St. in Erie, where Mrs. Davis taught music at Erie's parochial schools for five years. In 1965, the Davises moved to Madison, WI, where Mrs. Davis taught music at Cherokee Junior High for two years until the adoption of the couple's daughter Susan. After brief moves to Brussels, Belgium and Santa Barbara, CA, the Davis family moved back to Erie in April of 1974. She worked for twelve years as the office manager to two different local surgical practices. The Davises moved to Pittsburgh in 1991, before returning to Erie for good in 1999.

The Davises were very active members of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Fairview, where Mrs. Davis served as choir director, and on the altar guild and vestry. She also served on the altar guild of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Pittsburgh. Mrs. Davis served as President, Vice President, and Secretary of Presque Isle Garden Club. A lifelong Chautauquan, she was a member of the CLSC class of 1966 and a Life Member of the Bird, Tree, and Garden Club. She was also a member of Ingomar Garden Club for many years. She held offices with the Erie County Council of Garden Clubs, including President. She served at the District VIII level, and for many years, was on the board of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, holding a variety of offices. She was a Master Flower Show Judge, and served as Council Chair for both the Erie Area and the Pittsburgh Judges Councils. She was instrumental in bringing about a Flower Show School in Erie. She also served as President of the Erie Guild of Floral Art.

She is survived by a daughter, Susan Palmer Davis, and her wife Amanda Elif Yilmaz; a brother, Thomas Richard Elslager of Charlotte, NC and his wife Gretchen Faulk Elslager; a sister-in-law, Susan Salisbury Davis Brandse and her husband Pieter Cornelius Brandse; and three nephews and a grand-niece.

A memorial service in her honor is planned at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 1070 Dutch Rd. Fairview, Pa. 16415 at 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 18.

Donations may be made to the choir at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, or to the Class of 1960 Scholarship Fund at Lake Erie College, 391 West Washington Street, Painesville, OH 44077.

Arrangements are under the care of Burton Funeral Home and Crematory Inc., 602 West 10th Street, Erie, Pa 16502.