Emily Ann Davlin

Emily Ann Morris Davlin was born on August 15, 1946, in Fort Worth, Texas, to Marion Marcelle Chapman and Charles Lee Morris. She spent her early years active in Sunday school, Brownies, Bluebirds, and Campfire Girls. She graduated from Arlington Heights High School in 1965 and briefly attended fashion design classes at North Texas State University. In 1969, during the Summer of Love, she became a mother for the first and only time. As a single mother, she worked tirelessly to support her family, holding positions as a waitress, bartender, and telephone operator, often working multiple jobs to provide for her household. In 1975, she moved her family to Houston, Texas, where she continued working at the telephone company. In 1979, she began her career with Southern Pacific Railroad. She took great pride in her work, especially as a woman in a male-dominated industry. Her connection to the railroad was also personal, as she came from a railroad family—her father having retired as Assistant to the President of Burlington Northern Railroad. She was skilled in her profession and dedicated to her work. While working at the railroad, she met the love of her life, Kenneth Davlin. They were married in 1983 and shared many years together. She remained at Southern Pacific Railroad until 1990, when she medically retired. Following her retirement, she and her husband moved to Paris, Texas, where they studied jewelry design at Paris Junior College. Emily Davlin was a creative person who enjoyed sewing, quilting, painting, beading, and jewelry design. She found joy in all forms of artistic expression. She also loved music, especially country and Honky Tonk, and was especially fond of Delbert McClinton. In her later years, she enjoyed annual sandy beaches cruises, which brought her great happiness. Upon returning home, she would often experience what her family lovingly referred to as “the cruise blues,” missing the ocean and the life she enjoyed at sea. She was preceded in death by her parents, Marion Marcelle Chapman and Charles Lee Morris, and by her husband, Kenneth Davlin. She is survived by her brother David Morris, daughter, Melanie Morris and her Husband JR Donovan, and her grandchildren, Evan Morris and Camilla Newman. Emily was a strong-willed and opinionated woman who stood firmly in her beliefs. Like many people, she had struggles that were not always visible, which shaped her in complex ways. She lived life with passion, creativity, and a strong sense of identity, choosing to live on her own terms. She will be remembered for her creativity, strength, and the lasting impact she had on those who knew her.

Emily Ann Davlin

August 15, 1946 - April 18, 2026