Marion-bio2024

Gallery Addition to 2024 Holiday Letter

Marion Davis (1923 – 20??)

Here’s a brief (relatively) bio of Marion’s long and interesting life…so far.

It’s not an obituary. She’s still very much alive!

Marion Davis (1923 – 20??)

Marion was the seventh of eight children born to Jessie and Fred Davis of Livingston, Wisconsin. Born and raised there, she maintained strong ties to Livingston and its quaint surrounding villages throughout her life.

As was the family tradition, Marion attended the University of Wisconsin in Platteville, known then as Wisconsin State Teachers College, from 1941-1944. She recalled that the college emptied of all its male students in January of 1942, as they left to serve in World War II. Marion launched her teaching career in Sparta, Wisconsin, where she taught third grade for one year (1944-1945) before, at the urging of musician friends there, she made the bold move to Chicago. There she initially roomed with three Knudson girls who were already established there, and soon found a singing teacher, who led her to her first job in downtown Chicago. Marion made her life in Chicago, absorbing all it had to offer, and never left.

Always the songstress, Marion’s real passion in life was music and singing. In 1949 she sang the lead in a performance of “Cavalleria Rusticana” at the American Opera Company in Chicago. I found a flyer to authenticate that in our old piano bench (I thought it was an impressive find and had it framed some years ago). In 1950 Marion entered a singing competition and won the opportunity to sing a solo in Chicago’s Orchestra Hall. This led to a later opportunity to sing live on an NBC broadcast in 1952. Marion sang in the University of Chicago Rockefeller Chapel Choir from 1948-1964.

In her early years in Chicago (1952 – 1964), Marion worked in the accounting department of NBC, where she also sang on the radio with their orchestra on occasion. She recalled handing a young Bob Newhart his first paycheck. When she asked him what he did there, he replied, “I’m supposed to be a comedian”! Can’t you just imagine him stammering that line?

We all have some fond childhood memories of Marion. One of mine is that she would come to visit at Christmastime, and always brought us the most beautifully wrapped presents! I remember thinking that she was such a sophisticated woman, and I was so proud that she was an “opera” singer. We (kids) thought that she shopped exclusively at Marshall Field and had the most exquisite taste (In later years she discovered the wisdom and fun of Marshall’s and T.J. Maxx!). I remember my mother (Marion’s oldest sister) making saffron bread for her and buying a block of Shullsburg sharp cheddar cheese every Christmas. She always requested roasted capon for dinner (or at least that’s what our mother prepared because she thought it was Marion’s favorite). Marion didn’t like our cats, but they persisted in jumping up on her. I wish I could locate the photo of Marion sleeping on our living room sofa with all the cats sleeping on top of her! In later years, Marion would thank us for putting up with her “idiotsyncrasies”, as she called them.

Sara and I visited Marion when we were young kids, taking the Greyhound bus to Chicago. We had dinner at a fancy restaurant with Marion’s friends from NBC and Sara and I ordered hamburgers while everyone else ordered steaks. I remember “debating” the merits of Chicago vs. Milwaukee with the other dinner guests. On other trips to visit Marion I remember having bright red hot dogs on the lakefront.

Another fond memory we all have of Marion is when she attended church with us. When we got to the hymns heads would turn to see who was singing in that beautiful resonant voice. Of course it was Auntie Marion!

In 1964, at age 40, Marion returned to Platteville to complete her Bachelor degree. The following year she settled into a twenty-year teaching career (1965-1986) in Franklin Park, Illinois, first teaching fourth grade, then later fifth grade.

Marion always impressed me with her beautiful resonant speaking voice, immense vocabulary, and impeccable grammar. I used to imagine what a wonderful teacher she must have been and wonder if the students in her classroom appreciated that. Certainly her adult friends and co-workers did.

Marion maintained a life-long interest and involvement in education, both that of her students and herself. She was an avid reader, a formidable Scrabble opponent, and an ace crossword solver! She was a patron of all the cultural arts as well: well-versed in the latest exhibits at Chicago’s Art Institute, a reliable source of information on FLW’s architectural endeavors, a fan and regular attendee of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Lyric Opera. Marion was a devoted FLW (Frank Lloyd Wright) fan and volunteer for 30 years (1981-2011). She even has a stone in the walk at the visitor’s center. I have a photo of that, too.

Marion was a traveler, usually with an educational purpose as well as for pleasure. I remember her telling of one trek following the trail of Lewis & Clark. Other Elderhostel trips took her to Great Britain in 1986 and 1988.

In 1991 Marion sang with the Berkshire Choral Festival in Massachusetts, as part of a week-long project culminating in their performance of Handel’s oratorio, “Nebuchadnezzar”. In 1995 she sang with a choral group in Canterbury, England, where they performed Mozart’s “Mass in C Minor”. The choruses were nearly 200 voices from all over the United States and Canada as well as England, Scotland and other parts of Europe. In both of these week-long endeavors the groups spent time rehearsing during the week and performing on Saturday night with the orchestra and soloists. In Canterbury, Marion and her roommate were housed within the walls of the Canterbury Cathedral precinct. I believe these two experiences must have been a couple of the highlights of her travels, as they combined her love of music and travel.

Marion was active in the church for many years, especially in the choir. She sang in the University of Chicago Rockefeller Chapel Choir from 1948-1964, followed by ten years with the

Roosevelt University Chapel Choir. Marion was a member of the First United Church of Oak Park since 1974, where, of course, she sang in the choir. She tried to give up singing in the choir when she felt she was getting too old for it (only 87) but the director asked her to come back...so she did. She continued to sing in the choir for another four years, until June 1, 2014, her finale performance.

Since 1989, Marion was a member of the 19^th Century Club in Oak Park. This group, established in 1891 with a benevolence agenda, meets weekly in study and appreciation of the arts, music and social sciences. Its members, all women until recently, share in a variety of cultural and fundraising activities, engaging local talent to play, sing, speak, and otherwise entertain and educate the club members. The club provides 5-6 college scholarships each year for graduating high school students.

Physically active throughout her life, Marion was very disciplined about taking her daily walk and exercising at the YWCA, attending yoga and water aerobics classes. Because of her diligence in maintaining her health (body, mind, and spirit) she enjoyed a long and fruitful life. Marion resided at the historic Altenheim in Forest Park from 1997 until August 15 of 2016, when she moved to Heritage Square in Dixon, Illinois. Ten of us gathered there with Marion to celebrate her 100^th birthday (July 17) in 2023. She was still sharp as a tack and walking briskly! We were all amazed by her youthful vitality!

Marion celebrated her 101^st birthday with a small family gathering. Earlier in the year a new superintendent came to Heritage Square. At his welcoming party he held a spelling contest, which Marion won handily! Later that same year she was asked to sing (and did) at the Heritage Square 50^th Anniversary gala, accompanied on piano by the Director of Nursing.

Her final resting place will be in Livingston, Wisconsin’s historic Rock Church Cemetery.

Marion through the years in photographs