Ann Mumford

Ann Mumford was a lively woman of great strength and beauty. She was a devoted mother and wife, always giving everything she had to see that the people around her were happy. Energetic and high-spirited, Ann was a woman we were lucky to know.

It was a bright summer when Ann's story began, where Oscar and Ida Davis made their home in Fargo, North Dakota. Although the United States were fighting overseas in World War I, the Davis family was focused on a happier event, the upcoming birth of their third child. The couple were delighted at the birth of their daughter, Ann, on July 6, 1917. Ann joined two older brothers, Alvin and Milton, who immediately accepted their little sister into the family. Ann had lots of energy to burn when she was young. Her mother was a homemaker and her father a farmer of corn and wheat, and they couldn't have been happier to have Ann join the family.

Living many places out of state during her school years, Ann attended Decatur High School and worked in the fields, picking a variety of fruits and vegetables. This was a good job for Ann because it meant she got to spend time outdoors.

As Ann grew into a fine young lady, she began to attract the attention of numerous boys. It was no surprise that Ann met and fell in love with Homer Mumford at the age of 18. They were married at the courthouse in Paw Paw, Michigan on June 30, 1936. They enjoyed a steak dinner together that night and started their life together.

Homer was a farmer, and Ann was happy to follow in her mother's footsteps as a homemaker. She also spent time with her good friends Dorothy and Emily, playing cards or going to dances. Ann and Homer did absolutely everything together, whether they were out deer hunting, fishing, or dancing. The lives of Ann and Homer would forever change when their daughter was born in 1948, a beautiful baby they named Wanda. Ann was a supportive mother, and was just as much Wanda's friend or sister as she was her mother, taking her shopping and out for social events. Always ready and willing to cook and care for others, Ann made an excellent mother from day one.

Ann and Homer worked at the winery in Keeler together and were always working hard to support the family. They belonged to a dance club in Lawrence and also had a cabin in Branch, Michigan, where the family has many fond memories of days spent together. Ann loved to cook for her family and was famous for her tater tot casserole and homemade noodles as well as sweets like no-bake cookies, pies and homemade rolls.

Always one to look her best, Ann never left the house without being properly made up. She loved to look her best, matching her clothes meticulously and wearing make up. Every week she had her hair done, and she even became a Mary Kay consultant for many years. She loved to be part of the group, going to meetings and attending social activities. She loved to be in the middle of everything, right where all the action was. She also attended Calvary Reformed church with her family, where she met two of her good friends, Betty and Emma. She belonged to an extension group as well, the "out to lunch bunch." Ann attended Calvary Reformed for ten years.

Ann was delighted to become a grandmother, and reveled in every opportunity to spoil her grandchildren. She always had goodies for them that she had baked, and never missed any of their activities. She especially enjoyed attending her grandson Matt's stock car races, cheering him on every chance she got.

Although Ann kept her energy level sky high throughout her whole life, a stroke slowed her down for a short while. She began to have some short term memory problems and dementia, followed by some heart problems. Just as she took such great care of her daughter Wanda throughout her life, Wanda was able to care for Ann for the last ten years, graciously seeing that Ann was as comfortable as she could be.

Surrounded by her loving family, Ann E. Mumford passed away December 20, 2008. She will be so deeply missed.

Ann leaves us a legacy of enthusiasm, encouraging us to live our lives to the fullest, just as she did. It was her beautiful energy that carried Ann through her life, allowing her to color the lives of those around her with the most vibrant of hues.

Learn more about Ann, view her Life Story Film and visit with family and friends while sharing some refreshments on Monday 5-8PM at the Life Story Funeral Homes, Betzler & Thompson, 60900 M-40, Paw Paw, 657-3870. Funeral services will be celebrated Tuesday 11AM at Calvary Reformed Church. Please join the family for a luncheon following the service in the church hall. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Homer, 2 brothers: Alvin and Milton Davis, 1 sister-in-law Louise Davis, and many extended family members. Surviving is her daughter Wanda (Carl) Weenink of Mattawan; 3 grandchildren: Eric (Jaime) Weenink of Galesburg, Wendy (Jeremy) Lambert of Lawton, and Matt (Angela) Weenink of Lawton; 4 great-grandchildren: Kayla, Aiden, Mason and Piper; many nieces and nephews. Please visit Ann’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can archive a memory or photo, sign her memory book or make a memorial contribution to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan Van Buren County or Calvary Reformed Church.