MARGARET (MAGGIE) DAVIS Oct. 2, 1937 – March 8, 2016
“If we cannot share a little kindness in this life, what are we here for?”
Maggie (Geringer) Davis passed away peacefully in her Bozeman, MT home on March 8th, 2016 with her children at her side.
She was born in Wheatland, WY to Elizabeth and Henry Geringer on Oct. 2, 1937. Her siblings are Jeri, John, and Darlene. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Darlene Fabricius.
She received her Bachelor of Science and Certificate of Physical Therapy from the Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, in 1959 and worked as a PT for 46 years. In her youth on the farm, she was active in 4-H and her church youth group. She married Jon Byron Cross in 1961 and William C Davis in 1975. She was blessed with three children Shelly Lynn Cross of Los Alamos, NM, her husband, Troy Matevia; Catherine Ruth Cross of Anchorage, AK; Jon Douglas Cross of Bozeman, MT; four step-children James “Jim” Davis of Albuquerque, NM; Jack Davis of Albuquerque, NM; Robert “Bob” Davis of Santa Fe, NM; and Anne Davis of Denver, CO; and her ever faithful 4-legged companion Missy.
Maggie worked in general hospitals, nursing homes, schools, home health care, private practice and 20 years at Los Alamos National Laboratory as a Physical Therapist. She was an active member of the United Church in Los Alamos, helping in the thrift shop and serving as elder, was a weekend team facilitator for the Beginning Experience team and was the NM representative for the False Memory Syndrome Support Group. She served as a CASA volunteer and on the Canine Search and Rescue team with her beloved Lab, Max. She also volunteered at the schools and assisting the teachers. After moving to Bozeman in 2014, she volunteered at the homeless shelter, the community café, the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, and Eagle Mount ski program.
She was an avid gardener, loved snow skiing, camping, fishing, and attending the opera, traveling, reading, and sewing. One of her favorite activities was dancing, and in particular the waltz and tango. She greatly missed dancing with her good friend, Ken, as they used to dance all night!! As Maggie raged her battle with pancreatic cancer, she joked how if she should not beat cancer, she hoped she would die in the arms of a handsome man while doing the tango; or if not that, pulling a big fish out of a mountain stream.
She was a caring, strong person and will be greatly missed by those whose lives she touched. She had had a good life, and her faith in God has carried her thru her illness. A small memorial service was held at the Bozeman United Methodist Church on Thursday, March 31st at 2:00 pm and a service to be held in Los Alamos at the United Church on Friday May 13th at 11 am. Her ashes are to be spread in some of her favorite camping spots in NM. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials go to the Bozeman United Methodist Church, Los Alamos United Church or to the Heifer International project.
“Maggie – mother, sister, good friend, nature and animal lover.”