Birth Date: 11/24/1930
Deceased Date: 04/23/2023
Selma Elder Ward Davis, age 92, of Smithfield, passed away on April 23, 2023. Born in McColl, South Carolina on November 24, 1930, she was the daughter of the late Ernest Klondyke and Annie Maude Beasley Ward. The Ward family moved to Smithfield in 1943. Selma’s father was Fire Engineer for the Town of Smithfield for 30 years and her mother was in the upholstery business for the same amount of time. Selma was preceded in death by her parents and her husband as well as brothers Ernest K. Ward, Jr. and Gerald M. Ward; sisters Patricia Ward Langdon, Sandra Ward Harper Johnson and Billie (Betty) Ward Wood; and niece Teresa Jo Roland Bailey.
Selma graduated from Smithfield High School in May 1950 and completed a Business Course at Women’s College in Greensboro, NC in 1951. Following graduation from college, she was employed by Sears, Roebuck Catalog Sales Division in Greensboro as Secretary to the General Manager for Catalog Mail Order Sales. She returned to Smithfield in 1953 and became Assistant Office Manager for the State Board of Plumbing and Heating Contractors in Raleigh. She was also employed by First Citizens Bank in Smithfield.
In 1956, Selma started her longtime career with Carolina Telephone and Telegraph in Smithfield and remained with the company for 36 years holding various management positions throughout at the headquarters in Tarboro. During this time of service, she travelled extensively in territories that eventually were served by United Telephone, Sprint-Nextel, Embarq and Century Link. She retired in December 1992 as Planning and Methods Administrator.
Selma was married to Roy Wilson Davis (R.W.) of Enfield, NC where they lived for 25 years before moving to Rocky Mount. R.W. passed away in 2003 and Selma returned to Smithfield to be close to her family. She was very active in her former and present churches, as well as involvement in many community projects and events. She was a member of Enfield Baptist Church in Enfield, Lakeside Baptist Church in Rocky Mount and First Baptist Church in Smithfield. She was a former member of the Enfield Lions Club; Rocky Mount Garden Club, Tar River Orchestra Women’s Club, Rocky Mount Pilot Club, BSF in Rocky Mount, Smithfield’s Credit Women’s Breakfast Club; Johnston Health Volunteer Ladies Group; Soup Kitchen at First Baptist Church; President of Fidelis Sunday School Class and an Usher at First Baptist Church.
Surviving are her son and daughter-in-law, Ernest S. (Ernie) Ward and Penny; granddaughters, Stephanie Ward, Jennifer Ward Knepper and husband Andrew (Andy); great grandchildren, Emerson Knepper, Whitman Knepper, Meryle Mae Knepper; sister, Faye Ward Strickland of Richmond, VA; Special Niece Angela Harper Bryan who was very devoted to her; and many other nieces and nephews and cousins that were so important in her life, Tammy Harper Crews Holland, Joan (Joni) Santoro, Donna Schillings, Kimberly Hiteshew, Pamela Landgon Kozell, Jennifer Langdon, Phillip Strickland, Timothy Strickland and Jason Nathaniel Wood.
The family extends a special Thank You to Mrs. Davis’ caregivers, Teresa Massey, Martinea Isley, Candace Jackson, Jane Evans and Cynthia Farris.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, April 26, from 10-11 am in the Fellowship Hall of First Baptist Church, 202 S. Fourth St., in Smithfield. Funeral services will follow in the Sanctuary at 11:00 AM. Committal graveside service will follow at 2:30 pm in Rocky Mount Memorial Park, 4454 Dortches Blvd., Rocky Mount, NC.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Smithfield for the Baptist Children’s Home in Kinston or to the Ernest K. and Maude B. Ward Endowment Scholarship Fund at Johnston Community College in Smithfield.
