BIDDEFORD – Mary Theresa (Ackroyd) Davis, 94, formerly of Pittsfield, passed away on June 18, 2023. She was born in Newark, N.J., the daughter of Archie M. Ackroyd and Olive Griffin Ackroyd. At the age of 18 months, she came to Pittsfield and lived there until 1989 when she moved to Newport and began spending winters in Leesburg, Fla. Many enjoyable summers were spent at the family camp in Plymouth.

Mary attended Pittsfield schools and graduated from Maine Central Institute in 1947. At MCI, she was active in girls’ softball, field hockey, and basketball and was a member of the National Honor Society. From 1947 to 1950, she attended Saint Joseph’s College, then located in Portland. On Oct. 4, 1950, she married Charles Perley Davis of Pittsfield.

Mary received a B.S. in Education from the University of Maine at Orono in 1964 and a master’s degree in 1971 from the same institution. She taught school in the public school systems of Detroit, St. Albans, and Pittsfield for a total of 28 years, retiring in 1989.

Mary was a past member of the Pittsfield Grange, the Somerset County Teachers Association, Maine Teachers Association, and National Teachers Association.

She is survived by her daughter, Jean Davis Zarate, and husband George Zarate of South Portland, son, Richard Parker Davis, and wife Shelly of Bangor, and son, Kenneth James Davis, and wife Lori of Port St. Lucie, Fla. She also leaves four grandchildren, Mary Zarate, Michael Zarate, Spencer Davis, and Sarah Davis; and two great-grandsons, Leo La Zarate and Ethan Davis.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 60 years, Charles Perley Davis; and her eldest son, Franklin Charles Davis.

Visitation will be at the Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home, 191 Hartland Ave., Pittsfield, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3. A funeral mass will be held at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Pittsfield on Friday, Aug. 4 at 11 a.m. A committal will immediately follow in the Village Cemetery. A reception to follow the committal at the St. Agnes Parish Hall.

To leave a message of kindness or to share a memory, please visit http://www.shoreynichols.com. Care has been provided by Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Pittsfield.

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