Born on April 1, 1939 in NYC, Maureen was the older of 2 daughters born to Nancy and Tommy Davis. Her younger sister Carol Ann was born in 1944. The family moved from the city to Throgs Neck in the Bronx when she was young into a house designed and built by Tommy (which was a source of great pride for all of them). Although it was a modest house, it was on an unexpectedly large and beautiful lot. Throgs Neck was very rural at the time, and Indian Point was a vacation community, with small cabanas, winding paths and beach front access on the Long Island Sound. As a young child Maureen spent hours running the beach and swimming in the sound – daring, even, to swim out to the barges. At the end of every summer she was as brown as a berry.
From the house, the lights of the Whitestone Bridge were visible at night. At the end of the block was the marina, and when the tide was in, there was a small swimming area complete with a fence to keep children from floating off to sea. Besides her love of the outdoors, she was surrounded by family. The Davis, McCarthy, and McGee clan lived within several houses of each other, sharing midday dinners and “tea”. Maureen was especially close to her cousins Joan Eileen and Hannah. Most celebrations included music and dancing.
Maureen was an excellent student, she attended St. Frances de Salle grade school and Preston High School in the Bronx, an all-girl catholic school. She earned high marks and after graduation in 1956 worked in “the city” as a secretary in the financial district (she kept her engagement to Dad a secret in order to work there a little longer, since in those days, wearing your engagement ring to work was as good as giving notice).
Some of her fondest memories were of her dating years, with the five date weekend a crowning glory. As her family never had a car, she loved dates when she had a chance to go to new and exciting places, Jones Beach, Coney Island, beaches in Long Island, the Jersey Shore, the Catskills or local mountains.
Maureen met Peter at a dance while they were both in high school. He told her she had the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen, they were just like a cow’s eyes (she was offended, but he was absolutely right!). He went home that night, glowing, and told his family he had met the woman he was going to marry. After 4 years in the Air Force, Peter returned to the Bronx, and he and Maureen started dating. He proposed on Indian Point, while on the way to Christmas Eve mass in 1959 and they married July 23, 1960.
The honeymoon was 3 weeks in the Virgin Islands, and that was the beginning Maureen’s wanderlust. A favorite story was that she was almost not permitted back on the plane as she looked like a native!
After that, life progressed at light speed. An apartment in New York-where her father painted stripes on the walls since they could not afford wall paper-and the first baby, Kathleen born May 26, 1961. A short stay in Minneapolis where Peter on-boarded with Control Data Corporation, a company he would stay with until retirement. Then a move to Malvern, Pennsylvania where the family lived for 4 years, welcoming Peter Jude on May 28, 1962 and Mark Davis on March 29, 1965.
In June 1966 the family moved to Emerson, NJ, where they lived for 14 years. It was there that they welcomed Jeanne on February 12, 1970.
We spent long summer days as a family at the Westwoods Swim Club, visiting family in the Bronx and Upstate New York. Mom and Dad both loved the outdoors, and we went with many summer camping trips along the East Coast (often arriving at the campground at night, with Dad setting up the camper in the pitch black).
We shared some special ski weekends in Vermont and New Hampshire with the Upstate Brennans (Dad’s brother Tom, his wife Judy, and their children Kelly, Tom, and Danny). But Mom’s favorite family vacations were always the ones to Disney World. These family trips to Disney have been interwoven through our family history, and the love of Disney has been passed down through multiple generations.
Mom never lost her wanderlust, and thanks to Dad’s work, they were able to take numerous trips and cruises as a reward for his sales success. Her favorite vacation spot was Hawaii; especially Maui. Once, when they went to Mexico in the 70’s with work friends, they had their rental Jeep stolen, and when they reported it to the Police, the Police told them to just steal someone else’s as a replacement (which they did!).
In 1980, Dad was transferred to Colorado, and they fell in love with the state immediately and forever. They spent many weekends together in the mountains.
We are going to miss Mom tremendously – her laughter, her goofiness, her elegance, her love – but these past six years since Dad’s passing have been so hard on her, and the last two have been the hardest. It’s comforting to know that she’s surrounded by dear loved ones in heaven – Dad, Carol Ann, her mom and dad, Uncle Tom, Uncle Charlie and Aunt Dottie, and so many more…hopefully all sharing a laugh together and looking over those of us still here!
Sending you all our love, Mom, today and forever.
Arrangements under the direction of Olinger Woods Chapel, Golden, CO.
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