Nancy Ann DeMayo

Nancy Ann Davis DeMayo, age 84, passed away at her home in Croydon, NH on November 1, 2025.

The oldest of 5 children, she was born September 13, 1941 to Morris Davis and Ellen Hill Davis.

Surviving family includes her sister Janet Davis Derose, her brothers John Davis and Richard Davis, her daughter Lorrie Bennett and her ex husband Mitchell Bennett, who was like a son to her; her daughter Dorothy DeMayo and her son Trevor DeMayo; Stephanie Lamer and her husband Peter Lamer, and their 3 daughters Olivia, Alissa and Eilene. Also her granddaughter Amanda Bennett and her partner Justin Phillips and their son, James Phillips; and her grandson Justin Bennett.

She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Dwight Davis, and her beloved husband Richard DeMayo.

Richard and Nancy started married life as lighthouse caretakers at the Coast Guard Lighthouse in Port Clyde, ME, Marshall Point Lighthouse, made famous in the movie Forest Gump. They had three daughters while stationed there. Nancy was trained to care for the lighthouse when Richard wasn't there. The post was for a married couple and they enjoyed their time together. She handled the responsibility well and proved to be a valuable asset as a capable wife, mother, and woman. They later changed assignments to Doubling Point Lighthouse in Arrowsic, ME. Two of their children attended school in Bath, ME. They decided for the stability of their growing family that they would return to their hometown of Newport, NH where they purchased the home that was still Nancy home for 58 years. Richard continued in the Coast Guard for many more years, being away for 3 months at a time. Nancy cared for the home and 3 daughters alone and without a car.

At some point Richard came home and the lawn had not been mowed to his exact specifications and he inquired of Nancy why that was. She told him that it was very hard to push the old mower-less lawn mower. He decided that he would go out and mow it himself because it was 'easy'. He made one and a half rows and came back in the house and told Nancy to get ready to go to Claremont to buy a power mower. She didn't complain, without a word she let him prove her right.

Eventually Richard retired and that's when Nancy's love for the elderly was clearly shown. Richard and Nancy combined their talents and purchased a grain store and operated that out of the barn at the home in Croydon. Later on two of the elderly residents at Ellen Davis Home for the Elderly wanted to come stay in Croydon, so they made a place for them and DeMayo's shared home began as Thistle dew awhile shared home. This was the first licensed and certified shared home in NH. It would later house 10 elderly people.

Late in life Nancy would give birth to Stephanie, and 8 short years later, her beloved husband Richard passed away after a long battle with cancer. Nancy continued to operate the shared home for some time but her heart was broken and she decided to care for him family in a more private way. She became the dump attendant in Croydon and worked as a CNA at Sullivan County Nursing Home. Later she would take on the challenge of in home care. She was greatly loved by the families she cared for and even spent the winter in Florida because they wanted her to be the only care giver for their family member. She attended meetings at the Kingdom Hall and engaged in the ministry while there. She loved it and discovered that she wasn't as nervous of trying new things. She flew in a plane alone and loved it. She worked tirelessly to keep the home that she and Richard bought so long ago. She came in contact with the Jehovah's Witnesses in the early '70s when Cheri Howell called on her. Nancy had many questions such as "What happens when we die? What is the purpose of life?" Cheri shared many of the answers and a Bible study was started. Her husband later joined her for the Bible study and they studied with Albert and Joan Chicoine and made the truth their own. Nancy was baptized as one of the Jehovah's Witnesses and remained faithful to her vow of Jehovah living her life following Jesus Christ's example as a preacher of the good news of God's Kingdom. She had complete faith and trust in the message found within the pages of the Bible of a resurrection to a paradise on earth in the near future.

Her life was full and rewarding. Dementia robbed her of her memories, one of those was her fear of frogs. She had been terrified of frogs all her life, even fainting at the near sight of one close to her. She told everyone that they were trying to bite her, that they had teeth. Big ones! After the laughter would stop, someone would look it up, and yes, frogs have teeth. She was right! About a lot of other things too.