Marie Frances Pan Xia Jai Heimann Davidson, 19, passed away Jan. 18 at home. Marie fought a brave fight with signet ring cell colon cancer since her diagnosis in early March 2018. This very rare type of cancer is difficult to treat and at the moment there are no known cures. Marie was treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering and received at-home hospice care from The Visiting Nurse Association Health Group Hospice of Monmouth County.
She is survived by her fathers, Thomas Louis Davidson, 58, originally of Rumson and Dr. Keith Heimann, 61, originally of Goose Creek, Texas. She is also survived by her devoted and loving sister Grace Louise Heimann Davidson, 17. Additional survivors include her aunt Davy Davidson and uncle Al Whaley, in addition to numerous cousins.
Marie was adopted from Gaozhou, China in November 2000. She attended Ranney School, Shrewsbury Borough School and graduated from Red Bank Regional High School in 2018 from the Computer IT Academy. She was a student at George Washington University in the District of Columbia where she majored in computer cyber security. She was awarded the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) New Jersey Aspirations in Computing Awards 2018. She was also awarded the Scroll of Honor by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Phi Upsilon Chapter in academics in 2018.
Marie was an active member of the United Methodist Church of Red Bank. There she served as the treasurer of The Backpack Crew, an organization that fills backpacks for children needing food in Monmouth County. Marie spent two summers with UMC Red Bank helping families in rural areas of West Virginia and Kentucky through The Appalachian Service Project.
Marie was proud that her family successfully sued the State of New Jersey in 2014 for the Right to Marry. Marie loved to draw, paint and sew. She was an avid photographer and loved comics and travel, as well as watching her favorite TV show, “Parks and Recreation.” Spending time with her close friends was especially important to her.
A celebration of Marie’s Life will take place Saturday, Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Red Bank (umcredbank.org). Reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, Marie requested tax-deductible donations to any of the following charitable organizations: Visiting Nurse Association Health Group Hospice at vnahg.org/giving; The Back Pack Crew at backpackcrew.org/donations; or The Michael P. Brown Colon Cancer Foundation at run4michael.com.
