In Memory of Master Mary Davis
3/30/1951 - 5/16/2006

The Ngo family sadly announces the death of a dear family member, Master Mary Davis. She passed away on May 16, 2006. Master Mary was one of our father’s first students at University of Florida. She has been an important part of our family for over 35 years and achieved her Shichidan in 1998. We can still recall Master Mary was at the airport greeting us when we arrived in Gainesville, Florida Homecoming 1977.

We saw her couple of weeks ago in Raleigh, NC during Sensei Robert and Elizabeth’s school grand opening. She looked so happy to be traveling and training in martial arts.

We feel extremely fortunate to have had Master Mary as a big part of our lives. She had given so much to our style and graced everything with her elegance and thoughtfulness. Words cannot express the depth of this loss. Not only was she a great teacher and leader, but she also was a loyal and good friend. She had Cuong Nhu in her heart and always tried to live by Cuong Nhu Code of Ethics. On behalf of the Cuong Nhu family, we offer our condolences to Master Ernie Cates and family.

Master Cates requested that a memorial service to celebrate Master Mary Davis life will be conducted at Training Camp in Gainesville next week in place of a funeral service.

Sincerely,
The Ngo Family

 Memorial Fund

Cuong Nhu friends and family,

Questions have arisen about a memorial fund for Mary. One has been set up.

Mary Davis-Cates Scholarship Foundation
P.O. Box 585
Burlington, NC 27215

SunTrust Bank will be handling the funds from there and Dad (Ernie Cates) will be requesting a meeting some time during the training camp to have a board appointed to facilitate the Foundation and make decisions each year on who will benefit from the gift. It is important to note that the Foundation will be geared toward those female martial artists that are unable to afford continued training and are showing both the ability and the desire to excel.

Everyone has been so sweet in offering to do this in honor of Mary - it's a blessing to be involved and know how special she was to so many people.

Dawn Cates-Stephens