Margaret Louise Brown Davis

Published 10:08 am Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Margaret Louise Brown Davis, 90, was born in Illinois in 1935 and passed away at her home in Tryon on July 5, 2025. 

Margaret was the daughter of the late Hamlin and Dorothy Brown. She first started traveling to Tryon as a young child to visit her grandparents, John Sylvan and Rebecca Brown of Sourwood Ridge. The Browns spent their summers on the shores of Lake Michigan in the resort Castle Park. This resort was established by Carter Brown (no relation), who also ran Pine Crest Inn in Tryon as a winter resort. The entire family began visiting Tryon, North Carolina, in the early 1930s with winters spent at Pine Crest until they purchased a permanent home here in 1945. Margie fell in love with Tryon when visiting her grandparents and her close aunt, Jane Brown, also of Tryon. In 1969, Margie was thrilled she could call the area her home when she and her beloved husband, Seth Davis, purchased a farm of 40 acres in nearby Columbus.

Seth Davis was the love of her life; they met at Downers Grove, IL, high school and married after her graduation in 1953. Prior to moving to Columbus, Margie and Seth resided in the Chicago suburbs. Once in Polk County, her dreams of having her own horse and farm came true. She embraced the farm lifestyle, studying the “Foxfire” book series and proudly raising almost all the family’s food.  Out of necessity, with a large, growing family, it was truly “farm to table” for a family of 8.  She kept a horse wherever she lived and rode every trail in Polk County until she finally had to stop riding in her 80s.  Margie’s sense of adventure and artistic talents were amazing. Just a few of her adventures and accomplishments were becoming an RN once her children were grown, living on a sailboat at Seabrook Island, SC, for several years with Seth, visiting most of the National Parks, and having one of her early artworks acquired by the Smithsonian Museum. She also traveled the country to study with artists such as Kevin Macpherson, Scott Christiansen, and James Richards. Her favorite painting adventure was when she was able to ride horses into the Canyon de Chelly to paint en plein air and camp with Navajo guides for a week. She loved to cook, garden, read, travel, paint, weave, ride, hike, and truly missed her physical ability to choose her adventures when her health started to decline. It was with deep sadness that, in 2015, Margie lost her beloved Seth after 62 years together. 

Margie is survived by 2 sons:  Michael Davis (Dawn) and John Davis, and 3 daughters: Cynthia Davis, Catherine Lynch (Tom), and Sarah Davis. Rebecca Davis, her cherished daughter, preceded her in death in 2024. Margie was able to stay in her home in Tryon due to the care of her son, John, and her grandchildren, Hunter Davis and Moira Davis. Her other grandchildren include Heather Brower (Barron), Joshua Davis (Lydia), Amy Waldron (Keith), Neil Waldron (Brittany), Kate Delli Carpini (James), Mariel Cox (Brian), Ryan Lynch and Korbin Davis. She was fortunate that many of her children and grandchildren lived locally and were a vital part of her life. Her surviving nieces and nephews were also an important support for her. Many thanks to her loyal caregivers Kathi Miller and Sharon Hughes, who, with their compassionate care, helped assure Margie could stay at home.  

Services will be held at Holy Cross Episcopal Church on Tuesday, July 22nd, at 2 pm.

An online guest register is available at www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com

McFarland Funeral Chapel

Tryon, North Carolina