Mary Davidson
August 4, 1915 ~ August 21, 2012
Mary (Norton) Davidson passed away peacefully at her Princeton home on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, just a few weeks after her 97th birthday. She was born Aug. 4, 1915, in Kewanee to George L. Norton and Marie (Bowen) Norton and grew up on the family farm west of Neponset, often riding her pony to school. She was valedictorian of her Neponset High School class of 1933 and then graduated from the University of Illinois in 1939, where she double-majored in home economics and science. It was in Champaign that she met her husband John, whom she married in Neponset on June 11, 1938, and who preceded her in death in 1999. Mary later did her graduate studies at Iowa State University in Ames. When no one would hire a "married" female teacher in the 1930s, Mary stayed home to raise three wonderful children: Alan (Sharilyn) Davidson of Princeton, Thomas Davidson of Indianapolis, and Judy (Gary) Green of Princeton. Her family spent many enjoyable years in New Holland, Hennepin, Neponset, and Manlius -- where she was able to begin her teaching career. Mary later taught home economics at Tiskilwa High School from 1958 until her retirement in 1973. Her family moved to Princeton in 1960 and she continued to live in their Boyd Avenue home for the next 52 years. Mary was actively engaged with Hampshire Colony Church for many decades and later became a founding member of Open Prairie Church. She was also a longstanding member of the DAR, Daughters of Colonial Wars, Magna Carta Dames, and the Professional Home Economists of Bureau County. Mary''s Neponset farm endures as one of the oldest family farms in Illinois, having remained continually in her family for the last 175 years (1837). Mary''s family and faith were always the central focus of her life, and she remained surrounded by both during her later years and final moments. Mary was preceded in death by her parents; husband, John, and two younger brothers, Charles and George Norton. She is survived by her three children; seven grandchildren: Tim Davidson, Kari (Davidson) McLamb, Kelli (Davidson) Fazekas, Staci Davidson (of Princeton), Mike Davidson, Chris Green of Champaign, Shannon Davidson; and 12 great-grandchildren, including Jeremy Davidson of Princeton. Mary requested that anyone wishing to honor her memory donate to Friends of Strays, Open Prairie Church, or the Neponset Historical Society. A memorial service will be held in the coming months at a location and date to be determined.
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Whatever you have written is too deep for me to grasp annhityg I can say-Nice research You should send this hypothysis to some religious -knowledable ppl Let them evaluate-I m not qualified to say any thing.