Edward Davis III, 83, teacher in Phila.

Edward D. Davis III, 83, of Wyncote, a Philadelphia schoolteacher and administrator who later ran a tea room in Glenside, died Tuesday, Nov. 26, of cancer at Abington Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Davis grew up in South Philadelphia, where he attended Barrett Elementary School, and graduated in 1949 from Central High School.

He enrolled at Lincoln University, but left before graduating to join the Marine Corps.

Following his honorable discharge, he matriculated at Cheyney State Teachers' College, now Cheyney University. He majored in elementary education and received a bachelor of science degree in 1962.

Mr. Davis earned a master's degree in education administration from Pennsylvania State University. He began his career as a classroom teacher in the Philadelphia School District. Later, he served in administrative capacities before retiring in 1990.

In 1983, he met Marcine Whatley at John Barry Elementary School. She was a teacher, he was vice principal. They were married for 30 years. The two traveled often, including to Brazil, to speak on educational practices in Philadelphia.

In retirement, he gave four years of volunteer service to his alma mater by cofounding the Cheyney Alumni Mentoring Program, known as CHAMP, with his wife and his sister-in-law, Elizabeth M. Whatley.

The program culminated when he and his wife took a group of seniors they mentored to London and Paris. They were among the first students to travel on the train in the tunnel beneath the English Channel.

He worked with his wife in the floral industry. She arranged flowers, and he delivered them. They retired in 2003. "He fell in love with it," she said. "He liked meeting people."

Afterward, he and his wife opened and ran Sidney's, an afternoon tea room at 202 N. Hills Ave., Glenside.

Mr. Davis also was an avid bowler, a Mason, and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

Besides his wife, he is survived by son Edward IV; daughters Beth Johnson and Rae Williamson; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren, and a sister. A granddaughter died earlier.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, at North Penn VFW Post 676, 2519 Jenkintown Rd., Glenside. Burial is private.