December 23, 1932 ~ December 3, 2021 (age 88)
Mickie Jernigan Davis passed away peacefully at her home on Friday, December 3, surrounded by her family. During the past five weeks since receiving a cancer diagnosis, Mickie enjoyed spending precious time with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and close friends.
Mickie was born in Charlotte, to Lennie Thetis Jernigan and T.L. Jernigan, Sr., and grew up in Fairmont. She graduated from Fairmont High School in 1951 (Senior Class President) and received a B.A. in Elementary Education from Flora MacDonald College, Red Springs, in 1955 (Junior Class President). After graduation, she began teaching at Rockingham Elementary School (third grade), Rockingham, 1955-1958. In 1958, Mickie relocated to Bladenboro after marrying Alton Ray Davis, Sr., to whom she was married for 39 years until his death. She taught at Bladenboro School (second grade), Bladenboro Elementary School (third, fourth, and fifth grades), and Spaulding Monroe Middle School (Special Education), all in Bladenboro, 1958-1997.
Mickie was active at First Baptist Church of Bladenboro (Women’s Missionary Union, Sunday School teacher, Sunshine Club, and various committees), Reader’s Guild Book Club of Bladenboro, the local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International Society for Women Educators, and the local chapter of NC Retired School Personnel. She was known for her many acts of kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity, and had a positive influence on the lives of so many people.
Mickie was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers T.L. Jernigan, Jr. and Howard Jernigan, and sister Myrtle Caskey. She is survived by daughter, Lynn Davis Minges (Brad) of Raleigh, NC; son, Alton Ray Davis, Jr. of Cary, NC; son, Michael Henry Davis (Gaye) of Bladenboro; six grandchildren, Caroline Davis Minges (Luke Gravel) of Raleigh, NC, Elizabeth Minges Paschal (Robert) of Raleigh, NC, Rebecca Davis Asbill (Ryan) of Cary, NC, Alexandra Davis Harvey (Dalton) of Hickory, NC, Mallory Ruth Davis of Elizabethtown, NC, and Raegan Loni Simmons (Addison) of Lumberton, NC; and three great grandchildren, Milli Elizabeth Gravel, Winnie Blue Gravel, and Caroline Dorsett Paschal, all of Raleigh.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 5 at First Baptist Church, 500 S. Main St., Bladenboro, with visitation at the church following the service. She will be interred at a private burial at Pine Crest Cemetery in Bladenboro.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pine Crest Cemetery, P.O. Box 518, Bladenboro, NC 28320, Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina at www.boysandgirlshomes.org , or to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 176, Bladenboro, NC 28320.
