Ellen May Davidson

Ellen Davidson, born in Newark, NJ, on October 6, 1948, passed away on October 15, 2025, at age 77. She grew up riding her bike on the grounds of the hospital that her father led, playing with her brother, Larry, and beloved grandmother, Ella, and helping her parents host dinner parties full of intellectually and politically vibrant conversation.

After participating in the March on Washington in 1963, Ellen went to Antioch College in Ohio where her lefty politics continued to develop. During college, she began her lifelong practice of immersive world travel, living in Kotzebue, AK, attending a crafts school in Norway, and working at a hospital in Alphabet City in Manhattan. Everywhere she went, she forged deep connections, collecting a menagerie of close friends, many of them life-long.

For over a decade, Ellen spent summers at Camp Thoreau of both NY and VT, serving as the Arts and Crafts counselor, singing political folk songs, and becoming a treasured mentor and dear friend to hundreds of campers and colleagues alike. Over the years, Ellen was constantly creating both with her hands and her mind, crafting quilts, baskets, woven fabrics, clothing, pillows, bags, book covers, and lots and lots of dolls. She saw crafting as a way of showing love through handmade gifts, and of honoring global traditions, histories and cultures.

After college, Ellen taught in rural West Virginia before moving to New Paltz, NY, for her Masters in Education at SUNY. She stayed in New Paltz for many years, teaching special education and doing Quaker justice work in women's prisons. Ellen was an educator to the core, and was on the forefront of the movement to make teaching better: more meaningful, more fun, more just. During this time she co-wrote Open Minds to Equality, which would have four more editions over the years, and began work on Cooperative Learning, Cooperative Lives.

In the early 80s, Ellen moved to Boston to teach at The Phoenix School, an urban one-room schoolhouse started by her brother, Larry. There she met Jim Hammerman, and with him and two other friends, bought the house in Somerville, MA, where she would go on to live communally for her remaining 40 years. Ellen and Jim married in 1987 and raised their daughters, Hannah and Aviva, in the communal house. Ellen's passion to develop and foster intergenerational and intercultural community was woven into every aspect of her life. The years were full of lively parties, annual Thanksgiving seders, and technically-edible April Fools dinners.

Ellen spent the latter half of her career teaching education, with a focus on math and multiculturalism. She worked at SummerMath for Teachers, Wheelock and Simmons colleges, Education Development Center, as well as teaching, supervising and serving on the board at a variety of Boston-area elementary schools. Even when teaching teachers, she remained passionate about working with the youngest generation to stay grounded in the hands-on experience of early learning.

Ellen was a beloved friend, a proud mother and grandmother, avid crafter, passionate educator, and warm vibrant soul who truly lived her values. She is survived by daughters Hannah and Aviva Hamavid, granddaughters Eve and Ada Plotkin, brother Larry Davidson, and many dear friends.

Funeral services will be held at Mt. Auburn cemetery on Monday, October 20th from 10-11 am. Shiva will be observed from 3-7 pm at a local friend's house. If you want to contribute photos or memories, or to access the livestream of the funeral service, contact margaretcbarthel@gmail.com for details.