Margie Lucille Haley Davis, 89, of Trenton, KY, passed on peacefully from this world on Thanksgiving Day, November 28th, 2024.Margie was born on September 8th, 1935, in the farmhouse of her paternal grandparents in Montgomery County, Tennessee. She was the eldest daughter of the late Joseph Daniel “J.D.” and Myrtle Newcomb Haley, who were farmers living a simple happy life. Margie learned to sew by making clothes for herself, often out of flour sacks, and she was often relied upon to be a second mother for many of her younger siblings. From these humble beginnings, Margie went on to graduate top of her class from Trenton’s only school, then earned a secretarial degree at business school in Nashville—a remarkable achievement for the early 1950s. After graduation, she worked in Nashville for the Tennessee Department of Education.
While living in Nashville, Margie met the love of her life, Charley John “Chuck” Davis. Chuck was supposed to be going on a blind date with one of her roommates, but through a bit of mischief, he and Margie connected instead. Maybe it was chemistry, maybe (as Chuck always said) it was the biscuit Margie had put out on a fishhook to catch him, but this meeting led to a strong bond and long-lasting marriage of over 62 years. Margie and Chuck were married on April 8, 1955, on Fort Campbell base at the Army Airborne Chapel. Their marriage was full of love, laughter, and lots of banter until Chuck’s passing on November 26, 2017. They were a true team: whether it was raising a family, creating their forever home in Trenton, or partnering on Chuck’s business ventures. They were stronger together.
Margie spent the first few years of marriage as a military wife, moving around to Chuck’s duty stations. She and Chuck welcomed their first child, Denise, during this time. The family moved to southern California in 1956 where their sons Charley, David, and Greg were born. They spent most of their years in Tehachapi where their son William joined the family. The family moved back to Kentucky in 1974.
Margie was a social connector, often acting as the “glue” in her big family and among many friends. We like to say she had “big arms”—everyone was always invited, included, and made to feel welcomed and loved. As a member of her community, Margie helped found the Trenton Homemakers Club and the Trenton Moneymakers, organizations that provided both an educational and social outlet for other women in Trenton. She loved bringing people together, visiting and catching up, and even enjoyed a bit of gossip (like any proper Southerner).
Margie was a master of the domestic arts. She taught sewing classes, was an award-winning quilter, and loved to gift her beautiful creations to all her children and grandchildren. She was an accomplished home cook and a prolific canner—if you visited during the growing and harvest season, she’d put you to work “putting up” corn, blackcap raspberries, or whatever produce bounty she had just acquired. Her “warm room” was a wealth of provisions, and her country fried venison was fought over at family gatherings.
Margie was also somewhat of a medicine woman. As a small business owner with Nature’s Sunshine, she was the primary resource for herbal supplements in her community. She also dabbled in other methodologies over the years, like iridology and energy healing—which her children liked to poke fun at. But Margie’s underlying motivation was always the same: to make people feel better.
Above all, Margie found the greatest joy in being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her kids (particularly her sons) loved to give her a hard time, but she always dished it right back at them. She loved cuddling new babies and teaching her grandkids how to knit, crochet, quilt, sew, cook and bake. Her recipes often didn’t have precise measurements and included instructions like “get a couple handfuls of flour”—but they always worked.
Margie leaves a legacy of mentorship, guidance, and unconditional love.
In addition to her parents and her husband, Margie is preceded in death by her sisters, Barbara Ann Haley, Patti Cook, and Joyce Mayes, her brother, Joe Haley, and her son, Charley Davis Jr.
She is survived by her children: Denise (Dewayne) Shivers, William (Ruth) Farwell, David (Susan), and Greg (Jenni); sisters Bessie Mosely, Linda (Maurice) Chester, and Edith (Bobby) Peacher; eleven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and dozens of cherished nieces and nephews.
Margie’s family is grateful for the loving and patient care of Lynn Richardson, Vicky Hooper, and Brenda Seay Tidwell.
Family and friends are invited to celebrate Margie’s life at a visitation on Saturday, December 7th at 11am, at the Todd County Funeral Home in Elkton. There will be a funeral service at 1pm and burial will follow at the Edgewood Cemetery in Trenton.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Trenton Community Chest, PO Box 27, Trenton, KY 42286.
