Elva Rhea Davidge's Obituary
Davidge, Elva R. "Susie" Born May 5, 1920 in Detroit to Elva (Whittington) and Arthur Lewis Ward, died in Grand Rapids MI at the Clark Retirement Community on Dec. 8 2017. She met her husband, Ray Davidge, at Westlawn Methodist Church where they were married on the 22nd of November, 1940. Ray gave her the nickname "Susie" because her mother was also Elva. They had 3 children, Art and twins Donna and Dorothy. After the War, Ray went to work for a small tool and die company called Carboloy and in 1951 was sent to a small village in mid- Michigan called Edmore as one of a team who started a new plant there. In Edmore the family was active in Faith United Methodist Church and Susie was a Life Member and Past Matron (several times) of Edmore Chapter 111, Order of the Eastern Star. She also served as a Grand Committee Woman with the Blackburn- Germaine Grand Family Michigan, Order of the Eastern Star. Susie retired from the Food Service Department of the Edmore Public Schools. Ray and Susie spent several happy years as snowbirds, spending their winters in Zephyrhills Florida.
Ray passed away in 1990 and Susie remained in Edmore until 2000 when on her own she disposed of her home and moved to the Franklin Campus of the Clark Retirement Community in Grand Rapids where she resided until her passing. She was preceded in death by her husband Ray and is survived by her 3 children, Art (Lyn) Davidge, Donna Davidge and Dorothy (Randy) Tompsett, 2 grandchildren, Amanda (David) Peabody and Scott (Bianca) Tompsett as well as two great grand daughters, Addison Peabody and Alivia Tompsett. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, January 6 at 2 PM in the chapel at Clark Retirement Community, 1551 Franklin St. SE, Grand Rapids MI 49506, followed by refreshments in the BK Room . Internment and visitation will take place in Edmore in the spring on a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Clark Foundation, 1551 Franklin St. SE, Grand Rapids MI 49506
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