Pollyanne (Polly) Peterson Davis was born on April 16, 1929 in Fort Collins, Colorado, and died on December 12, 2020 in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the age of 91. Polly grew up in Loveland, Colorado and graduated from Loveland High School in 1947. She was active in the 100 year old Philo Club, a philanthropic organization founded by her grandmother Vansant. She spent her college years at the University of Colorado and was active in the Alpha Phi Sorority. Polly was president of the Campus Association of American Women before graduating with her BA in Elementary Education in 1951. Polly married William E. (Bud) Davis on March 17, 1951. Polly taught elementary schools in Greeley (1958-59) and Boulder (1960-62), Colorado and Quantico, Virginia. She also lived in Rapid City, South Dakota (1954-57), Greeley, Colorado (1958-59), Boulder Colorado (1960-62), Laramie, Wyoming (1963-64), Pocatello, Idaho (1965-74), Albuquerque, New Mexico (1975-81; 1998-2020), Eugene, Oregon (1981-88) and Baton Rouge, Louisiana (1989-97). Throughout her adult life, Polly has been an active wife to the President and Chancellor of three universities (Idaho State University, University of New Mexico, and Louisiana State University) and one state university system (Oregon). At a time when the spouse’s role had expected norms in many universities, Polly took up the need and planned and hosted events that entertained thousands of students, faculty, alumni, and supporters each year. In the 1980s she was the director of the spouse / partner program for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and co-authored a book on the expectations and institutional value of that role. While raising five children, she willingly gave her time and served in leadership roles with the Girl Scouts of America, the American Red Cross, PEO International, and the Alpha Phi Alumni. There is no greater love story than the 69 years Polly was married to Bud. Her children remember her as an amazing, caring, and compassionate wife, mother and grandmother, and perhaps more importantly as the foundation of shared values of love, service, and family. Polly precedes her father Raymond Peterson, mother Bernice Peterson, daughter Bonnie Davis and daughter-in-law Melanie Crane Davis in death. Polly leaves behind her daughters Deborah Davis Walker, Rebecca Davis Toevs, and her husband Thomas Toevs and Brooke Davis; her son Douglas Davis and his wife Jill Cabrera Davis and son-in-law Arthur Walker; her granddaughters Sierra Davis, Whitney Loveland and her husband Ryan Loveland, Courtney Woodard and her husband Weston Woodard and Niquel Toevs; her four great-grandchildren, Madison Loveland, Preston Loveland, William (Liam) Loveland, and William Davis Woodard; and her close cousins Anne Anderson, Cecile Everson, and Christine Reynolds. A memorial service for Bud and Polly will be held on Friday, October 15 at 10:00 a.m. (Mountain Time) at Central United Methodist Church, 201 University Blvd. held. Northeast, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Comments are welcome on the Neptune Society website (https://obituaries.neptune society.com/obituaries/alburquerque-nm/polly anne-davis-9946864) and personal messages can be sent to the family at [email protected] Bud and Polly leave a legacy of compassion, commitment to the community, and service to others as a couple who for over 60 years have dedicated themselves to educational institutions serving the needs of students in seven states. Instead of flowers, please consider sending a gift to commemorate Bud and Polly of the UNM Presidential Scholarship Program. Commemorative donations can be made to the UNM Foundation, Presidential Scholarship, Two Woodward Center, 700 Lomas Blvd. sent. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102 or online at https: // www. unmfund.org/fund/memorials-tributes/. (Please include a note stating who your gift is a reminder.)
Published by The Daily Camera on October 13, 2021.
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