Mrs. Iva G. Ward Davis

WARD DAVIS, Mrs. Iva G. - Age 104, passed away Monday, March 5, 2018 in Humble, TX. Family hour 11:00 AM Saturday, March 17, 2018 at Quinn Chapel AME Church, 2101 Lippincott Blvd., with funeral service commencing at 12:00 PM Rev. Sharinese Jackson Host Pastor, Rev. Stanley Sims officiating Min. Norman David Davis Eulogist. Interment Sunset Hills Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 11:00 AM Saturday. Mrs. Davis will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Friday with the family present from 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM to receive friends. Iva Gertrude Ward Davis - entrepreneur, grocer, music teacher, art teacher, writer, prayer warrior, adviser, and master storyteller- was born January 29, 1914 in Girdletree, Maryland. She was the oldest child of John Edward and Augusta (Collick) Ward. The family moved to Salisbury, Maryland where Iva’s parents were employed as factory workers. John was a barrel-maker in Snowhill, MD and Augusta was a tomato canner. When Iva was four years old, she began babysitting her sister Mabel as they waited under a tree outside their mother’s workplace – a memory Iva held dear. When Iva was eleven years old, the family moved to Philadelphia, PA. Iva excelled in school, where she and her siblings performed in school plays and musicals and became masters of memorizing and reciting poetry. Iva also excelled at gymnastics and was a talented artist, completing landscape drawings in charcoal and ink. As a teen, after school, she helped her family financially by taking on jobs as a day worker. Iva graduated from Overbrook High School in Philadelphia in 1932. She immediately went to work as a housekeeper and cook. In 1937, her employer Harley Monk, a corporate executive, accepted a job at DuPont in Flint. His wife didn’t want to move to a new city without knowing anyone, so she asked Iva to move with them. Always the adventurer, Iva accepted; and with her parents’ blessing, she was on her way to a new life in a new city. Heeding her father’s advice to join a church once she arrived in Flint, Iva joined Quinn Chapel AME Church in 1938. Never one to shy away from meeting new people, she participated in clubs and made friends. A friend introduced her to her future husband, Evans Benjamin Davis. Evans Benjamin was originally from Columbus, Georgia and was employed at General Foundry. They married in Philadelphia in 1939 and had a reception for friends and family in Flint. Iva and Evans Benjamin settled into their home (built by Evans Benjamin) on Blades Avenue in Flint. There, they raised five children – Evans Richmond, Linda, Hassan (Jerome), Norman, and Iva (Trudy). In 1948, Iva and her husband opened Davis Food Center across from Clark School on Clifford Street. The store provided jobs for teens in the community, was the neighborhood grocery store, and the favorite candy shop for school children. In 1967, when the freeway was planned through the city, they moved the store to Pingree Avenue on Flint’s south side. After the passing of her husband in 1968, Iva continued to operate Davis Food Center, closing the store in 1976. After her retirement, she returned to school and took classes at Mott Community College and the University of Michigan. As the neighborhood grandmother, she provided day care for neighborhood children, gave piano lessons, maintained a staple of books to share, took children to Sunday School and to plays at Bower Theater. As a proud member of Quinn Chapel AME Church, Iva was quite active. She was the After School Program Booster, regularly attended weekly Bible classes, prayer meetings and hosted youth choir rehearsals in her home. She was a member of the Willing Workers and the Stewardess Board, and a faithful Class leader, calling to check on church members weekly. Iva’s proudest achievement was serving as a Deaconess, tasked with praying for and encouraging the Pastor and congregation. Iva enjoyed traveling across the country on vacation and to visit her children. She was the family news reporter, keeping track of everyone’s career achievements and activities. She loved to laugh, tell jokes and recite Bible verses. Iva always told her family, “Continue to lead a life you can be proud of.” Iva’s life was filled with so much love from family and friends. Her legacy will continue through all those who knew her. She was able to live independently until the age of 102 years old. Iva Gertrude Ward Davis is survived by her five children: Evans Richmond Davis of Grand Blanc, Linda Harris (William L.) of Ann Arbor, Jihad Hassan Sharif (RaDina) of Humble, Texas, Norman L. Davis (Elizabeth) of Lansing and Trudy Babb (Jimmy) of South Orange, New Jersey, all who took an active role in caring for her over the years; 15 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter. She is also survived by nephew Lincoln Ward (Donna) of Flint; niece Sheryl Ward Mead (George) of Detroit; niece Janet Summers of Flushing; Nellie Pinkney of Flint; Bobby Taylor of Philadelphia; a host of great nieces and nephews, cousins and other special relatives and her Quinn Chapel family. Iva Gertrude Ward Davis was preceded in death by her husband, Evans Benjamin Davis; siblings, Mabel Taylor, Harold Ward, Lincoln Ward, and Margie Kelly; grandson Terrance William Harris and daughter-in-law E. Bernice Davis. In Lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: The Flint Institute of Music Attn: Sheila Zorn Black Classical Origins In Memory of Iva Gertrude Davis 1025 E. Kearsley Street Flint, MI 48503 Please make check payable to: Flint Institute of Music Memo on check: In Memory of Iva Gertrude Davis or online donations can be made at: https://thefim.org/support-fim/individual-donations (Special Instructions: Black Classical Origins – In Memory of Iva Davis)

Mrs. Iva G. Ward Davis

January 29, 1914 - March 5, 2018