Mary Carolyn Davis

Mary Carolyn Davis, 81, passed away Saturday, January 4, 2025 at home with her loving family.

Mary Carolyn was a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Florida State University where she majored in both fashion design and fashion merchandising. From there she worked as a buyer for leading menswear store Park-Chambers in Atlanta until after marrying the love of her life. Ultimately she left the fashion business to funnel all of her energy into raising her family.

She was an avid tennis player who found joy on the court, balancing her competitive spirit with the camaraderie of the game. She captained multiple USTA and ALTA teams over 40 years, leading many to state and regional titles. She led her tennis teams to victory so often that her teammates lovingly tagged her Big Piggy.

She loved reading, designing, and cooking. She had a chef-like skill in the kitchen, cooking and baking anything from gourmet French to Southern soul food to Asian cuisine to wedding cakes. Mary Carolyn had an immaculate eye for color and design that extended far beyond clothing, leading many to consult with her on everything from simple art to building design.

When Howard started his own company in 1989, she joined him there taking care of bookkeeping and client relations. Then kept the business running for years after losing him.

Above all, Mary Carolyn cherished her role as a mother and grandmother. Her greatest joy was spending time with her children and grandchildren, who were the center of her world. She had an infectious smile, fun wit, great intelligence, and absolutely tenacious spirit.

Mary Carolyn was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 50 years Howard Lee Davis, her parents Alexander and Fannie Lee, and her brother Robert Irwin.

She is survived by her children Erin, Howard, Johanna, and Alicia; and her grandchildren Benjamin, Elliot, and Wallace.

A celebration of Mary Carolyn’s remarkable life will be held on Monday, January 13, 2025 at 1pm at Cleveland Funeral Home followed by a graveside service. Visitation will be held from 11am-1pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Her legacy of love, creativity, and warmth will forever inspire those who were fortunate enough to know her, and her unwavering love will continue to inspire and guide her children and grandchildren.