Sue Davis

Emma Sue Dickson Davis, of Waco, born December 24, 1929, passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family, joining her beloved husband, John Edward Davis, Monday, March 16, 2026.

A graveside service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, March 23, at Oakwood Cemetery, with Rev. Brandon Frenzel of Austin Avenue Methodist Church officiating. Sue will lie in state from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday, the 20th, and Saturday, the 21st, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home for those who wish to pay their respects.

Sue graduated from Waco High School in 1948. She received a B.A. degree from Baylor University in 1952. At Baylor, she was a member of the Athenian Club that later became Kappa Kappa Gamma. While at Baylor, she was a Baylor Beauty in 1950 and 1951. She met the love of her life while attending Baylor.

Their story began on the Baylor campus, where John played football and Sue was honored as the sweetheart of Tryon Coterie fraternity. She rode the Try C Homecoming float in the 1951 Homecoming Parade. Sue and John married at Austin Avenue Methodist Church on March 7, 1952, two months before graduating from Baylor University.

Sue had a strong sense of community service. She served on the Planned Parenthood Board, Evangelia Board, Oakwood Cemetery Board, and served as Cotton Palace General Chairman in 1988, President of the Corporate Board of the Waco Cotton Palace Pageant from 2003–2005 and served on several United Way drives.

Sue was an active member of Austin Avenue United Methodist Church for more than 60 years, serving on the Administration Board and many other church committees. She served as President of the Waco Montessori School Board. She was an avid duplicate bridge player and enjoyed her bridge clubs. She was a master at playing 3NT.

Sue absolutely adored being a grandmother, and in turn, her grandchildren adored and cherished her. She and John were always at all their grandchildren’s sports events. Sue always cooked home-fried chicken and homemade bran rolls for picnic lunches to visit the Cameron Park Zoo, the Baylor Bear Pit, and to walk along the Brazos to feed the ducks. Sue and John enjoyed taking the family to Port Royal every summer at Port Aransas, Texas. Family hunting trips to Llano were full of great stories that are told over and over at family gatherings.

Sue was preceded in death by her husband, John Edward Davis, and her brother, William Preston Dickson.

Sue and John built a wonderful life of 52 years together. They raised two children, Susan Davis Cleveland and Greg Davis and wife, Cyndie. She was a proud and loving grandmother of four grandchildren: David Cleveland and wife, Maggie; Courtney Schramm and husband, Michael; Carrie McDonald and husband, Matt; and Conly Vasquez and husband, Josh. Her joy only grew with the arrival of seven great-grandchildren: Tucker, Mary Michael, and Wallace Cleveland; Crosby and Cohen Schramm; and Henley and Harvey McDonald.

Sue had a special love for dogs and was adored by the many stray dogs she adopted and by the many “grand dogs” in the family, who always seemed to know they were welcome at her side. Above all, Sue was a devoted mother and grandmother, always steady, loving, and always there when she was needed. She filled her home with warmth, humor, and a deep sense of care for everyone around her.

The family wishes to express gratitude to the caregivers at the Delaney Memory Care Facility and to Interim Hospice for their compassionate care. Sue was especially grateful for the dedication, love, and support from her dear friend Brenda Thompson for her faithful friendship.

Sue will be remembered for her grace, her love for family, and the many lives she touched over the years. Her legacy lives on through the generations who were blessed to call her mom, grandmother, and friend.

Memorials may be made to Fuzzy Friends Rescue or to Austin Avenue United Methodist Church.

The family invites you to leave a message or memory of Sue in her online "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com.