Mary Davidson

Mary Mintie Davidson, was born to William Butler and Martha Wright-Butler on May 9, 1933 in Welling, Oklahoma and danced into the arms of Jesus on January 11, 2018 at the age of 84 years, 8 months, and 2 days.

Mary was a resident of Tahlequah, Oklahoma at the time of her death. She grew up in the Welling, Oklahoma area. She was member of The General Assembly of the Church of the First Born. Mary retired from Cherokee Nation after more than 25 years of service with the majority of that time as Lead Cook for Talking Leaves Job Corps in Tahlequah. She enjoyed working with the kids and teaching them how to cook. She worked hard all her life.
First and foremost she loved her family with everything she had. She was an amazing cook. She loved country music and she herself was a talented singer and dancer. Her favorite artist was always George Straight. She enjoyed spending summers at the Boy Scout Hole with her family on Baron Fork Creek. She always had a watermelon chilling in the creek for after we swam. Club crackers and milk was one of her favorite snacks. Katfish Kitchen was her favorite restaurant and was there so often, the owner and staff knew her by name. She was never too far from her cherry chapstick, a peppermint candy, and a cold Dr. Pepper. She could be seen even just a few months ago buzzing around town in her car driving way to fast. She enjoyed her flowers, watching her hummingbirds flutter and the other birds bathing in the birdbath. She prayed on bended knee each night as long as she was physically able and she read her bible each night until she could no longer hold her book.

She has always been very independent. She had an ornery streak even on the last day of her life. She was a particular person. She earned the nick name "Princess and the Pea" because everything had to be "just right".
Quotes from Mary include: "dynamite comes in small packages" in which case she was usually referring to herself. She may have been small but she was one tough lady. "It's that lil dab of Butler". She attributed any great feature or talent of a loved one to the fact they had Butler blood running through their veins. She did have pet peeves. Never call her "Granny", take your hat off in the house, always put things back in their place, watch your language, don't drink the last Dr. Pepper and she hated a dark house.

Mary was preceded in death by parents; 4 sisters, Emma Day, Ruth Reinhart, Bessie Caldwell, and Dorothy Sumpter; 3 brothers, Melvin Butler, Harvey Butler, and an infant baby brother, Jesse Butler; one grandson, James (Scooby) Girdner; one granddaughter, Alisha Girdner; and a special cousin, Ruby Pack.

She leaves behind to mourn with fond and loving memories 7 children, 27 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren, and 13 great-great grandchildren; Daughter Connie Bradham and Husband Larry of Tahlequah, OK, their children Jesse Smith, Tammy Lee, Chaila Brixey, Larry Bradham Jr, Michael Collins, and Glenn Bradham; Daughter Donita Girdner of the home and her children, Jackie Goss, Jennifer Zubillaga, and Nikisha Goss; Daughter Anita Christie and significant other Ty Wilson of Tahlequah, OK, her children Arielle Barnett and John Thomas Christie II; Son Gary Girdner and significant other Ann Allen of Tulsa, OK ,their children, Michael, Kate, and Sarah Beth Allen; Son Arlie Girdner and wife Sarah of Tahlequah, OK, their children, Arlie Girdner II, Trixie Burress, Timothy Peevy, Thomas Girdner, Holli Girdner, Billy Bickford, and Jennifer Bickford; Son Robie Girdner and wife Teresa of Tahlequah, OK, their children, Robert, Kyle, Josh, and Sarah Girdner; Son Tony Girdner and wife Becky of Tahlequah, OK, their children, Brenda Goldman and Jason Montgomery; She is also survived by her baby sister, Gloria Lee Casas and husband Bill of Teresita, OK and one very special sister in Christ Anna Lair of Tahlequah, OK as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and loved ones.

Visitation

Hart Funeral Home
1506 N. Grand Ave
Tahlequah, OK  74464
Thursday, January 18, 2018
12:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Service

Hart Funeral
1506 N. Grand Ave.
Tahlequah, OK  74464
Friday, January 19, 2018
2:00 pm

Cemetery

Caney Cemetery
Welling, OK  74464