Ray’s mother Lou passed away one night surrounded by neighbor ladies as she coughed repeatedly in her bedroom. Ray, Mary, and maybe Gordon and Edward listened to her through a very long night. Lou Ella Havard Davis passed away at age 45 and was buried next to Lemuel in Lucedale Mississippi.
Her daughter Mary recalls she died on February 12, 1935, and not Valentine’s Day. The official record shows the date as the 14th but this website manager’s aunt, Mary Davis Lammon, told him she was there and is quite certain her mother was buried on Valentine’s Day.
James, the oldest, moved back to the farm with his wife Ruby to take care of Ray, age 16, and Mary, age 12. Ray went back to high school. He credited his oldest brother James for having the wisdom to know that was important.