On two-nine-two-nine a baby girl came into the world in Greensboro, N.C., the eldest child of Raymon G. and Marion Davie. In a nod to the Davie family's Scottish roots, the proud parents named her Jean.
Two brothers followed - Raymon and Norman - and the Silver Ave. home was full of kids polishing pennies on the carpet and playing with their dog, with Jeanie Beanie in charge all the time.
Raymon Sr. managed the local A&P grocery store, but when the depression hit they went back to their roots in Upstate New York, and lived on Uncle Henry's farm.
Marion passed away when Jean was just 16 years old, and she had to shoulder the responsibilities of running a household, shopping and cooking, while finishing high school. Her dad's sisters pitched in and taught her how to shop for the best prices, even if it meant driving to three or four stores to find it (LOL).
One day she went home to 10 N. Sixth St. in Oneonta with her BFF from high school, Dorothy Fieg, only to find Dorothy's older brother, Philip (a.k.a. Phid) lying on the couch reading, wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. Up the stairs he shot, in great embarrassment, to don a pair of slacks, but the arrow had been released from Cupid's bow, and Jean and Phid were eventually married on Sept. 2, 1950.
On the heels of wedded bliss followed
Judy, Dide, Phyllis;
A career in advertising soon he plied.
When at night his work was done, home
he drove. The
setting
sun
Lit the arms of his family open wide,
wide, wide,
Lit the arms of his family open wide.
Phid took over a photo studio in Kane, Pa. where Judy was born, worked as a reporter/photographer for a newspaper in Sidney where Diana and Phyllis hatched, and eventually went to work for GLF in Ithaca as an ad man. Jean was his partner in the many moves, making a cozy home for her family and becoming a wonderful cook (who doesn't remember humble apple pie??), while continuing to ply her passions for painting and poetry.
If you graduated from Ithaca High School in the mid-1950s your graduation photo may have been retouched by Jean, who worked from home for a local photographer, canceling out zits and wild strands of hair on the negatives. (She wore reading glasses while working, and Phyllis burst into tears the first time she saw her mom with those, those.... THINGS on her face.)
Ithaca - Dryden - Ithaca - Syracuse - Pearl River - all the cities and towns where Jean set up housekeeping were in New York, until Phid took a position with Ciba-Geigy in Greensboro, and that is where we find Jean today, in her snug and cozy home, working in the Fiegenhof Gardens, reading insatiably, and enjoying cards and letters and now Google Meets with her daughters and only granddaughter, Emilie V. (who'd a thunk it?).
So if you will, raise a glass and toast Aunt Jean, or raise your phone to your ear and give her a birthday call - 336-299-1006. You will most likely have to leave a message, but it will be gratefully received and probably acknowledged.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM - MUMSEY - GRAMAE - AUNT JEAN! WE LOVE YOU DEARLY!
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