Charmanne Rigby Davies, 65

April 22, 2018

Charmanne Rigby Davies, of Lancaster, PA, passed away on Sunday, April 22nd, 2018 at Hospice & Community Care, Mt Joy. Charmanne was born on November 20, 1952 in Biloxi, MS. She and her husband Tom celebrated their 42nd anniversary last September. She is also survived by her sons Joseph, husband of Elizabeth Davies of Raleigh, NC and Michael of Burlington, NJ, her grandchildren Page and Alex Davies, her mother Arleigh Rigby of Mobile, AL and her sister Robin Parker, wife of Allen Parker, also of Mobile.
About a year after Charmanne and Tom began dating seriously she gave him a Bible with an inscription which read “Ruth 1:16-17.” Consistent with the meaning of that passage, she cherished all of her relationships with Tom’s family and is also survived by Tom’s brother, the Reverend William S. (Bud) Davies, husband of Sharon Davies, her nephew Evan and niece Abby, wife of Mitch Stoltzfus, all of Lancaster.
Charmanne’s father, the late Sr. Master Sergeant Joseph H. Rigby, Jr., served in the United States Air Force from the time she was born until after she started college. As a proud “Air Force Brat” she attended schools in Mississippi, Germany, Arizona, Alabama and Delaware where she met Tom during their junior year at Dover Air Force Base High School. She attended the University of Delaware, received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of South Alabama and her Master’s degree in English from Louisiana State University.
Throughout her life, Charmanne worked at a wide variety of jobs and she felt that every job had dignity. She worked as an insurance claims representative, as a cashier at both a department store and a grocery store, and as a dry cleaner processor. The job outside the home that best used her talent and education, however, was teaching freshman English courses at Elizabethtown College and Harrisburg Area Community College, which she did for many years.
She always viewed her most important jobs as wife, mother and grandmother. Shortly after Joseph started school while they were living in the Pittsburgh area, Charmanne joined the PTA and was soon elected President. After the family moved to Lancaster, they joined Wayside Presbyterian Church and Charmanne worked with the Youth Group. She was also elected to the role of Deacon.
Perhaps because of her childhood experiences, Charmanne loved to travel. After she and Tom became “empty nesters” she planned trips for them to visit England, Wales, Egypt, Italy, Greece, France, Jordan, Israel, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica, but her favorite place to visit (other than family) was Hawaii.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Friday, April 27th, 2018 at 11AM at Wayside Presbyterian Church 600 Stony Battery Rd. Landisville, PA 17538 with The Reverend Dr. Steve Fritz presiding. The family will be available for visitation at the Church beginning at 10AM. Please omit flowers. Donations may be made to Wayside Presbyterian Church (www.waysidepc.org) or Folds of Honor (www.foldsofhonor.org) 8551 N. 125th East Avenue suite 100 Owasso, OK 74055.