Student Mary Davis, 88, died Wednesday. Known around campus for her involvement in the fine arts department, Davis spent more than 20 years at Meramec.
Kavahn Mansouri
Editor-in-Chief
STLCC-student Mary Davis sat in the first floor of Humanities East in the art gallery room where she served as a part-time attendant and an unofficial publicist. She was known to call students in to explain exhibits and chat about art.
Davis, 88, a student of STLCC for 25 years, died Wednesday after a short illness. A memorial is currently being planned in her honor as students and staff remembers Davis as a lively spirit and dedicated friend.
Professor of Art Margaret Keller described Davis as a student and a dedicated worker.
“She was always here, this was her life. She took classes all the time, art classes, she worked in the gallery as the gallery attendant, she was always in there,” Keller said.
After a career at Southwester Bell, now AT & T, Davis decided to retire and take classes at Meramec. Davis, who was a part of Meramec’s Photo Club, Bacchus Club, International and Student Government for a time, was widely known around campus.
Racking up over 100 credit hours, having been a STLCC student since 1986 and working as a part-time employee of Meramec’s art department, Davis kept busy.
Campus Life Manager Steve Brady said that Davis lent a hand in several different clubs and helped lead the Photo Club for a time.
“Mary started out being in the Photo Club, she also got involved in the Bacchus Club and student government. It was cool with student government, she would always help us read scholarships when we had the student to student book scholarship,” Brady said. “She was also a member of the International Club and went on the spring trip a couple of times.”
Davis would never be afraid to call to students walking past the art gallery and invite them in to look around.
“Mary was very friendly, the gallery door would always be open, people would walk by and she would call them into the gallery. She’d start telling them about the show and explain a lot to them, she was like the publicity person for the show.
Keller said that Davis would always be trying to take care of students.
“She was very dependable and she even would come for every opening reception and guard the food. When it came time to cut the cake she would always try to feed students, she was always very hospitable,” Keller said.
Keller said that Davis’ passing shocked her and that she expected her to bounce back as usual.
“She called and said she would be in on Monday… so everyone was shocked,” Keller said. “She had gotten sick before but she always bounced right back.”
Davis was known to offer guidance and advice in the several clubs that she was part of when advisors weren’t around.
“Mary helped to provide some institutional memory and student memory for things that the student government did, things did that the Photo club did, Bacchus club and International Club. When an advisor was not around Mary could always help out and give a perspective,” Brady said.
Brady said that Davis had spent her most recent years working with the Bacchus Club and helping out at events around campus.
“For years she would have trips she would take to do photo shoots,” Brady said. “The last several years she has devoted the bulk of her time to the Bacchus Club, one of the cool things she did was she made these little seat belt huggies that were animals that you put on the seatbelt for kids.”
Davis often compared herself to Peter Pan and was known to have a young spirit.
“She related well with young people, you knew you were dealing with somebody who was older than you, but it just didn’t seem like that,” Brady said. “Students always thought Mary was cool and they could get good information from her,” Brady said.
Keller said that Davis was a lively character who always kept busy with one thing or another.
“She was very lively and full of life. Always really busy making things of other people; she loved making things for other people. She liked making quilts and Christmas ornaments, you name it. Busy all the time in the gallery,” Keller said
Brady said that Davis not only was a student, but also a mentor to her fellow students.
“She just was a real advocate for students, and a mentor for a number of students,” Brady said. “It seems as if she had been around forever,” Brady said.
Visitation was from 4-8 p.m. Monday Dec. 5 at Jay B. Smith Maplewood Chapel, 7456 Manchester Rd.
Stay tuned to www.meramecmontage.com for more details.
