Beverly Rose "Penny" David

Beverly Rose "Penny" David 8/27/1927 - 11/19/2013 Known by her friends as Penny, she loved her family, classical and jazz music, art museums, theatre, libraries, researching and teaching. Having developed and taught various curricula in the arts, humanities and women's studies for over 30 years, Penny retired from Western Michigan University in 1997 as a full Professor of Humanities and Theatre. Dr. David's special interest in American Literature led her to become a world renowned Mark Twain Scholar. She lectured and taught Mark Twain studies on four continents. She wrote two volumes of Mark Twain and His Illustrators and published many essays and articles for the Oxford Mark Twain and the Mark Twain Encyclopedia. Penny was born in Detroit, MI and married John "Jack" David in 1945. The couple lived in Allegan, MI for 50 years where Jack was an optometrist. They retired to Arizona as "snowbirds". Summers were spent in Michigan at the family cottage entertaining family and friends. While in Arizona Penny continued in the academic world, teaching art history and performing Mark Twain programs for the University of Arizona Outreach, Green Valley Recreation, Learning Curve of Tucson. She volunteered as a docent and lecturer at the Tucson Museum of Art, Oasis and OLLI and was a board member of the Tucson Symphony as President of the Friends and Admirers of the Tucson Symphony (FATSO). Penny was preceded in death by her husband in 2007 and by son, John in 1981. She is survived by daughter, Denise Hoag; daughter-in-law, Joan David (Doug Jacobson); son, James (Cheryl); special family members, Dr. Wishwa Kapoor (Berta); nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren. Condolences (and donations to the ALS Society or the Grace Ciotti Scholarship Fund) may be sent c/o Denise Hoag, 1301 Torreys Peak Drive, Longmont, CO 80504. A private family celebration is planned.