Nans Davies

The family regrets to announce the death of Dr.Nans Davies, of Regina. The youngest of four girls born to William Edward and Eira (James) Davies of Bangor, Nans was an exceptional student who went on to be a Dermatologist until retiring in 1998 after a forty-two year career as a physician. Nans is predeceased by her mother in 1973 and her father in 1995; her sister Megan Robinson in 2018; brothers-in-law Bill Robinson of Vancouver, Garnet Baird of Victoria, and Gerard Goossens of Montreal; as well as her niece Myra Baird of Port Renfrew, BC. She is survived by her sisters Eirlys Baird, and Glenys Goossens of Calgary; her nephew and caregiver Mark Goossens of Regina; nephews Trevor, Cameron and James Baird of BC; her nieces Heather Robinson and Dilys Baird of BC, Michele Henderson of Calgary and Gwyneth Sestito of Toronto; and their spouses and children. She is also predeceased by her best friend of almost 75 years, Dr. Kathleen Moffitt, whom she met first year of university at Regina College in 1947. She received her B.A. in 1950 from the University of Saskatchewan. In 1950, only 6% of students in medicine were women. During the summers Nans worked at Saskatchewan Hospital in Weyburn, living in a hospital room for the summer. Nans and Kay graduated together from the University of Alberta in 1954, and both went on to be family physicians and then take specialist training. Nans lived in Lethbridge and practiced as a family physician from 1956-58, and recalls being the doctor on call for several rodeos. Nans then took dermatology classes at St. John’s Hospital for Diseases of the Skin in London, England from 1958-59, returning to family practice at the Medical Arts in Regina. She was a resident in dermatology at the Cleveland Clinic from 1964-67, returning to Regina to practice until her retirement in 1998. She travelled the world, including Great Britain, Europe, China, the Caribbean, the Far East and New Zealand, and attended many national and international dermatology meetings. She loved a good political discussion and was often disgusted by the actions of politicians. Nans was a first-generation Canadian on both sides, her mother being from North Wales and her father being one of the Patagonian Welsh who arrived from Argentina to Bangor in 1902. She and her sisters enjoyed a trip to Patagonia in 2008. Nans took piano lessons and attended classes at the Seniors Learning Program. She read extensively and she and Kay completed the Sunday New York Times crossword every week, often conferring over the phone about a possible answer. She and Kay and friends attended the Regina Symphony and the Globe Theater and had lunch every Saturday and for each other’s birthdays. Sadly, Nans was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2019, and lived first at Marian Chateau and then at College Park. The family would like to thank the staff at College Park where she received excellent care. A donation to the Alzheimer’s Society would be appreciated. Cremation has taken place and there will be no funeral at Nans’ request. A private family gathering will take place at a later date.