Arlene Davies Obituary

Arlene M. Davies, 96, of Camp Hill, passed away on Saturday, June 4, 2022, in the company of her family.
Born on August 31, 1925, in Big Rapids, MI, she is the daughter of the late Orra I. (Rector Graham) and Lindsay Muter, and she was the loving wife of David J. Davies, Sr. who preceded her in death.
Arlene and her siblings were raised by her mother, Orra, who, as a single parent, put herself through college in the 1920's and became a teacher. Orra's strong emphasis on education and perseverance greatly influenced Arlene's life and those of her descendants to come.
Arlene was a 1943 graduate of Milan High School in Milan, Michigan. She went on to attend Bowling Green University in Bowling Green, Ohio. During World War II, Arlene worked in a bomber plant preparing identification plaques for military supplies. The work that Arlene was most proud of was her time as an Assistant to John M. Sheldon, M.D., Chief of the Allergy Division at the University of Michigan Medical Center. During that time, revolutionary work was being done by Dr. Sheldon related to the study of histamines and the development of Benadryl. At the same time, Jonas Salk, M.D. was developing a vaccine for influenza and doing preliminary work that would lead to the development of the polio vaccine. Her stories about them and their daily interactions were a source of pride and gratitude throughout her lifetime.
It was at the University of Michigan that she met the love of her life, Dave, who was pursuing his PhD in Economics. They were introduced by her mother, who was also an instructor at the University, when a cancellation would reveal the need for an additional bridge player. They married in 1952 at the University Chapel and moved to New York City, where they started their family.
In 1958, they moved to Camp Hill and were active members of the community, their church and their children's schools. Arlene was a long-time member of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Camp Hill.
When her husband fell ill, in order to help support her family, Arlene returned to the work force as a Tax Examiner for the Commonwealth of PA from where she retired.
In retirement, she received great joy from attending the activities of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren – from countless sports events to musicals, concerts, and numerous other gatherings right up until the end of her life. With family scattered across several states, she stayed in touch through video calls, which she very much looked forward to most evenings without fail.
Arlene was a life-long student of history – filling her days reading biographies, watching documentaries and catching up on the politics and events of the day. She would often keep notes to share with family and friends, ensuring they were up to date on current events. Her stories and insight spanned two centuries – from the despair and struggles of the Great Depression to the uncertainty of a world at war, the Space Age and on through the advent of the internet. She was, no doubt, a cherished member of the Greatest Generation and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her four children, Katherine A. Dawson (Andrew), of Lemoyne, PA; David J. Davies, Jr. (Kathleen), of Wilmington, DE; Robert C. Davies, of Woodbine, NJ, and Mary C. Davies, of Camp Hill; nine grandchildren: Drew Dawson (Meredith), David Dawson (Alaina), Michael Dawson (Angela), Joseph Dawson (Amanda), Alexandra Blakeslee (Sam), Michael Sweeney (Amanda), Joseph Sweeney (Nicole), Juliana Alvelo-Davies and Victoria Davies; nine great-grandchildren, Jack, Madelyn, Luke, Rowan, Carys, Liam, Harper, Lila and Owen; a daughter-in-law, Donna Davies, and a sister, Ruth M. Deason, of Alabama; three close friends; Nory, Jeane, Michelle, and Robert and multiple nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband David, she was preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy Barden, two brothers, Forrest Muter, and Robert Muter, a niece, Judy Satkowiak and her sisters- and brothers-in-law whom she cherished.
The family wishes to extend our heartfelt thanks to the team from Homeland Hospice, especially Helen, Amanda and Alyssa, for the gentle care of our mother throughout her final days with us.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at 11:00 am at Myers-Baker Funeral Home, 1903 Market St, Camp Hill, PA 17011. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family at Resurrection Cemetery, 116 South Oak Grove Road Harrisburg, PA, 17112. Myers-Baker Funeral & Cremation Services, Camp Hill, has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to New Hope Ministries, Dillsburg PA, (nhm-pa.org); Homeland Hospice (www.homelandhospice.org) or to a charity of your choosing.