Gertrude Davis

Gertrude Dunn Davis (June) of Dorset, VT, passed peacefully in her favorite chair on March 12th 2018 at 102 years old. She was a loving wife, devoted mother, beloved grandmother, aunt, great aunt and friend to many. She was always a steadfast pillar of the communities that she was involved with and beloved source of guidance and support for many people aspiring to great goals. She was born in New York City in 1915 and attended schools there including Miss Hewitts School in New York. Her mother passed when she was 17 years old. This traumatic, yet formative event established her strong faith and enduring emotional strength. From an early age three of her passions were art, drama and music. She studied art, painting and drawing with the Arts Student League in New York. Drawing, painting and playing her beloved piano were a source of inspiration and solace throughout her life. During World War II, out of her infinite desire to help, she signed up to be a Nurses Aid for the Red Cross to offer comfort and care for wounded soldiers returning from overseas. She was a long time member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. June was a wonderful, inspiring and loving mother and raised four children with William H. Calfee. She instilled in all of them her love of life, love of nature, music and reading, as well as the need for people to be active and provide leadership in all endeavors in which they were involved. She always directed people to follow their dreams and pursue things that called them. She loved the outdoors, especially hiking in the hills of Vermont and spending time in her organic garden which she lovingly cultivated for many years. Her love of the natural world led her to be actively involved in conservation and environmental stewardship. Her love of the Mettowee River started at a young age when she would visit her Grandmother in Dorset Hollow. She shared that with her children when she brought them to play in the river in the summer time and with her husband Peter when they would venture out at dawn to fly fish for trout. She took conservation seriously, purchasing and conserving several properties including one of the last un-conserved farms in the Mettowee Valley. Her strong faith led her to be active in church communities. She has been a member of the United Church of Dorset and East Rupert, where she directed the Sunday school in the 1950s. She was also an active member at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington D.C. where she served on the Altar Guild and on the Church Vestry. At the Episcopal Church Home in Washington, she brought comfort and joy to many residents and served on the Board. She met her true love, Peter Davis in 1981. There is perhaps no other event which brought her such great joy, love and adventure. They loved each other's company more than anything else. They also shared the joy of music, literature and art. Together they traveled to many special places enjoying the great gift of love and companionship. She believed strongly in the power of spiritual connections greater than the self. June served on the Board of the Shalem Institute in Washington D.C. and helped that organization grow into a substantial center of spirituality promoting meditation and mindfulness. June considered her home and woods in Dorset, which she called Elephant Hill, to be a sanctuary and a special place for renewal which she shared with family. She loved to cook and gather everyone together for important holidays, special occasions and important family traditions such as Midsummer's Eve. She loved the beauty of nature and saw magic in the ferns and towering maple trees surrounding her. She was predeceased by her husband William H. Calfee of Chevy Chase, Maryland, her brother Eric Dunn of New York, New York, her sister Antoinette Griscom of Newport, Rhode Island, and her brother Edward Dunn of Albany Georgia. She is survived by her husband Peter Davis, her sons: Helme Calfee, Bill and Lara Calfee, Alan and Jeannie Calfee, and daughter Julia Calfee, her grand daughters: Lily Calfee, Mettie June Calfee and Isobel Calfee and her grandson Peter Calfee and her godson and nephew Lloyd Griscom and many other nephews, nieces and cousins and her two poodles. A celebration of her life will be held at the United Church of Dorset and East Rupert on April 7th at 1:00 pm. A private burial service at Maple Hill Cemetery will occur at a later date. In Lieu of flowers donations may be made in her memory to the Mettowee Valley Fund at the Vermont Land Trust, 8 Bailey Avenue, Montpelier, VT 05602. A celebration of her life will be held at the United Church of Dorset and East Rupert on April 7th at 1:00 pm. A private burial service at Maple Hill Cemetery will occur at a later date.