Patricia Davis

Patricia Elwin Davis, 92, of Ithaca, NY, died peacefully at Kendal of Ithaca, on August 27, 2021. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Tennant Elwin and Lulu Mary Johnson of Waterbury, CT and her sister, Muriel Elwin Zepp. Patty is survived by her husband, Tom Edward Davis, and two children: Derek E. (Rebecca) of Katy, TX, and Heather L. (John Peters) of Chuckey, TN. Patty’s four grandchildren are: Brandon P. (Shauna) of Katy, TX; Ryan A., of Charleston, SC; Simon Davis Tobias of Hendersonville, NC and Aron Davis Tobias of East Lansing, MI. Patty also has two great- grandchildren: Mackenzie M. and Kyle P. of Katy, TX.  Patty is also survived by three sisters: Janet Starr of Hanover, PA; Nancy Pegues of Glen Arm, MD; and Cynthia Paternoster of Wallingford, CT. Patty was born in Meriden, CT in 1929 and grew up during the Great Depression. She attended high school in Waterbury, CT where she was a leader in numerous extracurricular and public service organizations. Patty attended Tufts University, Jackson College, in Medford, MA and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology in 1951. She married Tom E. Davis, a Tufts classmate, in 1953. In the early years of their marriage, Tom and Patty lived in London, England, Chicago, IL, and Santiago, Chile where Tom taught economics and Patty studied languages and culture while raising their two children. In 1963, the family relocated to Ithaca, NY where Tom joined the Cornell faculty as a tenured professor of economics. Always curious and eager to learn, Patty took numerous classes at Cornell as a student of history and literature, and became an avid golfer on the Cornell golf course. She served as President of the Women’s Golf League at Cornell. Patty found her true calling when she began quilting in 1976 and created numerous quilts of distinction, with examples of her work exhibited in juried shows and  museum exhibitions. Her work celebrated the achievements of women throughout history and other American heroes, and are depicted in her book, Twice-  Told Tales. Patty published a second book of quilts based  on the life and writings of William Shakespeare. At Kendal, Patty enjoyed writing poetry with the Archie Ammons Poetry Group and organizing poetry readings. She led the effort to compile the works of the group into periodical collections of original poetry. Patty was an adventurous, lifelong learner with a commitment to service for others. She was the center of her loving family and will be greatly missed by all who knew her. The family would like to express appreciation to the skilled nursing team in the Owasco neighborhood at Kendal for their expert and compassionate care of Patty. Memorial contributions may be made to Finger Lakes Land Trust at 202 E. Court St. Ithaca, NY 14

To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Patricia Davis, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store .