Silva Dae (Black, Massey) (Brown) Dowdy

Dowdy, Silva Dae

On August 8th, 2019 Silva Dae Brown (Massey; Dowdy), 92, of Davison decided to say her goodbyes to us and say hello again to her beloved son Randy Black as well as her parents John and Dovie Brown and her 10 brothers and sisters who preceded her. Wishing her safe travels are her sister and brother-in-law Margie and Lewis Hornick, her six living children, plus bushels of grandkids and great-grandkids.

Silva was one heck of a lady. She excelled at growing picture-perfect roses; making a filling meal from flour, Crisco and whatever was in the icebox that was about to turn; brandishing her garden hoe like an avenging angel and beheading every gosh darn snake that dared cross her path; demolishing all comers at Skip Bo with absolutely no remorse; “borrowing” crackers and sugar packets from Cracker Barrel; herding kids – so many kids; making a swear word (or two) sound like an endearment; and taming cats that were – let’s be honest – completely feral, but she thought were just “misunderstood.” She could also knock out a three-scoop hot fudge sundae in less than a minute and we just thought that feat needed to be immortalized in writing somewhere. But we digress.

She was the best hugger, best listener, best hollerer of “y’all are gonna hurt yourselves!” Sometimes she let us learn our lessons the hard way, but she saved our behinds plenty too. She’d done it all: lived in the big city and in the deep country; lived comfortably and lived lean; she picked cotton in the hot Alabama sun for pennies a pound; she packed up her life and took huge risks time and again to try to make her kids’ lives a bit better. She worked the graveyard shift for twenty years but never slowed a wink. She’d stand up to anyone if they hurt somebody. If you look in the dictionary under “integrity,” “persistence,” “compassion,” “love,” and “courage,” we can’t guarantee you won’t see her face smiling back at you.

Anyone who knew her at all knows that this stuff is not exaggeration: she was simply the best of the best – all the other moms, wives, sisters, grandmas, great-grandmas out there will just have to settle for runner-up. Sorry everybody, we don’t make the rules.

It hurts to be here without her, but we know we’ll be okay. After all, we had one heck of a teacher. We’ll be seeing you Silvie - keep the porch light on for us.

Surviving are: Danny (Sue) Cottingham of Madison Heights, Deborah (Bob) Prince of Roseville, Shelia Bowers of Davison, Robin Tucker of Utica, Glenn (Shelly) Black of MO, Lisa (Ronald) Faes of Steelville, MO, and Jeffrey Bowers of Davison; 18 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren; sister, Margie (Lewis) Hornick of Akron, OH; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by: son, Randy Black; brothers: Enice Brown, Rudolph Brown, Dwayne Brown, Mac Brown, Douglas “Doc” Brown, Braxton Brown and John Brown; and sisters: Hilda Floyd, Vera Brock, Orean Tally.

No services are being planned. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s’ Association. We wish to extend a special thanks to Silva’s unofficial adopted daughters, the staff of Magnolia House Senior Living of Davison – Fallon Davis, Alex Defendorf, Kailey Hancock, Myrtle Prince and Andrea Lighthill, with appreciation as well to Melissa Miller, Jessica Haremski and Amber Hachtel - for their diligent care and love during her final years. You guys rock. You may light a memorial candle or share a memory at misiukfuneralhome.com.

Misiuk Funeral Home

Chesaning, MI

989-845-3096

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