Merton Davis

Merton Louis Davis, formerly of Camden, SC died Thursday, May 6th, at the Hospice Home of Burlington, NC. Born in Detroit, Michigan on November 27, 1918, Mert was the son of Alfred and Henrietta Davis. He graduated from DePauw University in New Castle, IN where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He received a PhD in chemistry from the University of Michigan and was a lifelong Big Blue fan. During WWII, Mert was part of the Manhattan project and a member of the team of scientists working to develop the atomic bomb in Los Alamos, NM. Following the war, Mert accepted a position with DuPont in Camden, SC. In Camden, he met the love of his life, Eliza White Martin. They were married in 1962; he adopted Eliza's 3 children and loved them as his own. Mert was an accomplished pianist and amateur actor, but he also loved sports, especially his grandsons' baseball games. By inclination and training, Mert was a true scientist accustomed to dealing in absolutes. When absolutes failed him, he relied on his determination and decisiveness, both of which he had in great measure. He was fiercely loyal to those he loved, and though his children surely tried him in many ways, he was determined to love them. From him, they learned that love is unconditional. Mert is survived by four children: Mimi Holt Tony of Burlington, NC, Al Davis Nan of Chicago, IL, Sally Davis of Burlington, NC and Eliza McKenzie Bill of Winston-Salem, NC, 8 grandsons, and 1 granddaughter. Burial will be in Camden with a private family graveside service on Sunday afternoon. Memorials may be made to the Hospice and Palliative Care Center of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215.