While raising six children Beth was always ready to contribute to the needs of local charities Meals-On-Wheels, Friends in Service Here (FISH), Unity Acres, and Unity Kitchen, where she and Bob helped prepare meals every Monday in Bob’s retirement.
Passionate about opera and other classical music, Beth co-founded, with the collaboration of close friends Lindsay Grove and Louise Robinson, the Skaneateles Chamber Music Festival in 1979, originally held on the second floor of the library. Today, the Skaneateles Festival is an international music festival bringing world-class music to Skaneateles Lake. Beth served as the first President and was instrumental in obtaining designation with the New York State Council for The Arts (NYSCA) that allowed the Festival to grow to what it is today.
Beautiful, elegant, brilliant, and compassionate, Beth was loved by all who knew her. She was extremely well read and a voracious reader and an avid gardener, who surrounded her home on the lake with breathtaking flower gardens. Most of all she was a warm, kind and generous person who opened her home and her heart to many travelers, musicians, friends and family, who will carry strains of Beth in themselves.
Beth is predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Bob, her brother Scott Davis, brother-in-law, Donald Boudreau, and sister-in-law, Elizabeth (Liz) Fagan Boudreau.
Beth is survived by her six children; Elizabeth S., Robert (Alison Gilles), Edward (Zui Hui), Thomas, Kathleen (Jack Joyce), Michael (Julie Stafford), seven grandchildren; Eleanor, Paul, Julia Martin, Ian Joyce, Dylan Joyce, Emily, Hannah, two great grandchildren; Abigail and Robert Martin, and sister-in-law Betty Jane Boudreau.
Calling hours will be held at Robert D. Gray Funeral Home, Skaneateles on Wednesday from 4 to 7PM. A mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at St Mary’s of the Lake Church, 81 Jordan St., Skaneateles on Thursday beginning at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Skaneateles Festival and Unity Kitchen.
To send condolences, visit robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.