Audrey Crocker, 93, teacher's aide

Audrey R. Davis Crocker, 93, of West Philadelphia, a former seamstress, food worker, and teacher's aide in the Philadelphia School District, died Monday, Aug. 1, of an intestinal ailment at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

Born in Rincon, Ga., to Joseph and Lucille Giles, she moved to Philadelphia as an infant with her family. She was educated in the Philadelphia public schools.

She became a Christian at age 8. She joined Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church and stayed faithful to the church over the years. She served on the junior choir, adult choir, senior choir, pastor's aid team, and on the missionary ministry.

As a young woman, she met Willie Davis. They married in 1940, and had five children, Donald, William, John, Francis, and Arlene.

Besides being a mother and wife, Mrs. Crocker was employed for five years in food service at the now-gone Philadelphia General Hospital.

Later, she was a skilled seamstress in a factory, sewing men's clothing. Her final position was as a teacher's aide with the Philadelphia School Board, where she labored for 15 years.

In 2012, she was awarded a Citation of Excellence from Mayor Michael Nutter for school board employees over age 90.

Mrs. Crocker enjoyed dancing, traveling, and meeting new people. Her husband died in 1958. She married George Crocker in 1997.

They enjoyed life in her West Philadelphia neighborhood, where she was well-known for her sweet potato pie and homemade cakes. Her specialty, though, was baked ham and turkey.

Even as she got older, Mrs. Crocker loved to remain stylish and color coordinated. She had been wearing wigs since 1958 when her last child was born. She told her family that it was "easy to put a wig on layaway."

Mrs. Crocker outlived both husbands and four of her five children.

She is survived by a son, John L. Davis; six grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

A viewing starting at 8 a.m. Monday, Aug. 8, will be followed at 10 a.m. by funeral service at Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 3814 Parrish St., in the Mantua section of West Philadelphia. Burial is in Merion Memorial Park, 59 Rock Hill Rd., Bala Cynwyd.

bcook@phillynews.com

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