Mary Apperson Davis, 93, of Davie County, died on Oct. 19, 2017 at the Glenn Kiser Hospice House.

A memorial service will be held at Cherry Hill Church, Davie County at a later date.

She was born Aug. 25, 1924 to Beulah Vernon Apperson and George Marshall Apperson Sr. who, along with her brother, the Rev. Dr. George M. Apperson Jr. and sister, Anne Apperson Turlington Rice, preceded her in death.

Surviving: her daughters, Vernon Davis of the home, Melissa Ives (Gary) of Marble Falls, Ark. and son, Addison (Kit) of Salisbury; 4 grandchildren, Ken Libbin of Montgomery, Ala., Carolyn Wang of Brisbane, Calif., Jennifer Chua of Manhattan, Kan., Christopher Bumgardner of San Francisco, Calif.; and 7 great-grandchildren.

She married Arthur David Davis Jr. June 5, 1948. She was raised in The Point in Davie County and returned to the family homestead, Tennyson, in 1968. Following her return she became a driving force in successfully opposing the construction of a nuclear power plant on her cherished Yadkin River. She was a conservationist and protector of the land as well as instrumental in maintaining Wachovia Pet Cemetery and Cherry Hill Church. She attended Cooleemee School, earned a bachelor’s degree from UNC-Greensboro (Women’s College), and her master’s degree in English from Appalachian State in Boone. Education was important, and she taught at all levels of public education. Her last position as a teacher of English as a second language at Rowan Cabarrus Community College, led her to take an active role in helping refugees from other countries learn the culture and language of their new country.  Many of the people she helped became part of her extended family.

Memorials: Cherry Hill Church, Treasurer, 2995 Miller Road, Salisbury, 28147.

Condolences: www.lyerlyfuneralhome.com.