Mary Ann Chilen Davis was born on January 15, 1940, in Salina, Kansas. She died peacefully at home on September 1, 2026, in Texarkana, Texas. She grew up in Kingsville, Texas off the King Ranch. Mary Ann graduated from Incarnate Word Academy High School in Corpus Christi, Texas. After boarding school, she moved back home and attended Texas A&I and received her bachelor's degree in biology. She met the love of her life, Richard "Skip" Davis at the University of Texas Marine Institute, Port Aransas. She and Skip were married January 26, 1962. Mary Ann was a devoted wife and wonderful mom to Laurie and Lee. To continue her education, she waited until the children were in middle school. At that time, she worked on pursuing her master's degree in marine biology at the University of South Florida. In 1977 Mary Ann began teaching Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, and Marine Biology at the Academy of the Holy Names High School. From there she taught Chemistry at Chamberlain High School and then Gaither High School. As she taught at Gaither she began work on her PhD. On her 50th birthday she sat to defend her dissertation and then obtained her PhD in Gifted Science Education from the University of South Florida. She taught Gifted Science Education at St. Pete Jr. College and then the Univ. of South Florida. As a college professor she also served on the State of Florida University Coordinating Committee on AIDS.

Mary Ann was a proud Texan but quickly had to learn how to live in the north and deal with snow. She and Skip raised their 2 children, and she proudly traveled all over this country and the world with him, cooking on research vessels, note taking on field trips, attending his lectures wherever they were, and was his biggest fan. As they traveled, they never missed a beach. Mary Ann loved quilting and made the most beautiful quilts. She also loved being outside in her garden and was a Master Gardner.

Mary Ann is preceded in death by her parents, Marie and Paul Chilen and her sister Mary Margaret Bird. She leaves behind her 2 children, Laurie Booker of Texarkana, TX and Lee Davis and his wife Patty, of Raleigh, NC. Six grandchildren: Ben Booker of Little Rock, AR, Bailey Booker of Memphis TN, Leanne Booker of Birmingham, AL,  Dylan Davis and his wife, Kayla of Huntersville, NC, Libby Davis of Washington DC, and Julia Davis of Dallas, TX; her brothers Msgr. Mike Chilen of Hanceville, AL, Pat Chilen and his wife Jude of Dubois, WY, Robert Bird of Atlanta, GA and her sisters Mary Agnes Herrera and her husband Ed of Ft. Worth, TX, Mary Elizabeth Bass and her husband Randall of Longmont, CO; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Rosary will be recited at Texarkana Funeral Home, 3515 Texas Blvd on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 4:00 P.M. with visitation to follow from 5-7 P. M. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, September 11,2026 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 4505 Elizabeth St., Texarkana, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Gulf Coast Preservation Society. Checks should be mailed to Gulf Coast Preservation Society, PO Box 773, Boca Grande, FL  33921 or online www.gulfpreserve.org