Barbara R. Davis

1929 - 2020

Barbara R. Davis

July 16, 1929 - August 16, 2020

Former Lake Geneva Public Library Director dies at age 91.

Barbara R. Davis, 91, of Lake Geneva, Wis., passed away on August 16, 2020 of natural causes.

She was born in Racine, Wisconsin on July 16, 1929, daughter of the late Harry and Frances Thorson. Barbara married James J. Davis in 1953 in Racine. They had met in a dance class and were smitten. Jim proposed on Valentine's Day.

Barbara received a Bachelor of Science Degree in secondary education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1951, after which she taught in schools in Luck, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. At age 49, undaunted by being one of the oldest students in her class, she returned to the UW Madison to receive a Master of Arts degree in library sciences in 1979, all the while working full time at the Lake Geneva Public Library.

Many lovingly remember Barbara as the Director of the Lake Geneva Public Library where she accomplished great things, including introducing computers to the library for first time. Prior to taking on the job of Director in 1984, she was the children's librarian from 1976 to 1984 and visited schools in Lake Geneva, often in full costume to promote books and the library's summer reading program. One memorable visit to Lake Geneva's public schools included Barbara dressed as a Chinese theater complete with a puppet show. She retired as Library Director in 1996.

Barbara had a love of learning and trying new things. She was an avid reader as you might imagine from her years at the library and especially liked reading mysteries. She was personally responsible for instilling a love of reading in her children and grandchildren, forever giving the latest and greatest books to her kids and to her friends. If you needed something good to read, you only had to ask Barbara.

Barbara was active in many Lake Geneva groups over the years including the Lioness, Fiber Arts Guild, Questers, Friends of the Library, book clubs, yoga classes and Girls Scouts, to name a few. She was a two-time survivor of breast cancer and visited Washington, D.C. to lobby Wisconsin legislators to support funding for breast cancer research.

She was a master cook, crafter, sewer, quilter, animal lover, avid gardener and could fix almost anything including rewiring dozens of lamps over the years among many household projects. Barbara took a woodworking class and singlehandedly built a large living room wall unit to house the family's couch surrounded by bookshelves. She reupholstered many chairs and couches over the years, even sawing one couch in half to make love seats.

Her family and friends remember her loving nature, sweet disposition and the ability to make everyone feel at home. She often took her children's friends under her wing and became a second mother to many of them. Her five children consider her the smartest and most accomplished person they have ever known and the best mother in the world and told her so time and time again. She will be greatly missed by her children, friends and all who knew her.

She is survived by her children, Susan Davis of St. Louis, Chris Davis (Lea) of Vista, Calif., Steve Davis of Janesville, Patty Davis Mitchell of Silver Spring, Md., Nancy Davis (Rocco) of Wood Dale, Ill., and numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Jim, who died in 2008, her mother and father, and her sisters Julie Fields and Cynthia Thorson.

A celebration of Barbara's life will be held at a later date.

Donations may be made in her memory to the Lake Geneva Public Library, 918 Main St., Lake Geneva, Wis. 53147, Attn: Emily Kornak, Library Director. Please designate "in Memory of Barbara Davis."

A celebration of life will be held at a later date