Nancy Davis

Nancy Laine Davis — charismatic beauty, glinty-eyed competitor, creative force, fierce mother, fun grandmother, ready performer, and woman of deep, complicated faith — died at age 91 on Tuesday, March 10, in Madison, Wisconsin.

Nancy Louise Herrick was born to Helen (Dammé) and Virgil Herrick on April 27, 1934, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Virgil Herrick was director of research at Milwaukee Country Day School. Nancy and older brother Jim moved between Milwaukee and Madison while their father completed his Ph.D. in Education at the University of Wisconsin. Teaching positions took them to Syracuse, Chicago, and back to Madison, where Virgil ended his career in the School of Education as Vilas Memorial Professor.

The family spent long academic summers two hours north of Madison at their lakeside cabin, “Hernanji,” swimming, water skiing, canoeing, and playing games. Nancy was a natural athlete. She swam fast and slalomed hard. She picked up tennis as a teenager and quickly began beating her father. He advised her to go easy on other men when she played. She did not take his advice. Nancy remained active across multiple sports — driving to win no matter who she competed against, and reveling in her physicality — until late in life.

Nancy graduated from Madison West High School in 1952 and attended Skidmore before returning to home ground, enrolling at the University of Wisconsin. There she met civil engineering student Erick Laine. With a job offer for Erick from the Aluminum Company of America in hand, they married in April 1955, ahead of Erick’s graduation. ALCOA would promote Erick, and move the couple, many times over the next 20 years.

Three children were born in New Kensington, Pennsylvania: daughter Kristen in 1956 and twins Erick, Jr. and Peter in 1958. Several moves later, Nancy completed her college degree at Ohio State University, in Columbus, Ohio, where she and Erick had their fourth child, Christopher, in 1965. At church services that Christmas, Nancy and Erick portrayed Mary and Joseph; infant Christopher was baby Jesus.

In subsequent moves to Bettendorf, Iowa, and Richmond, Indiana, Nancy threw herself into community and regional theaters, starring in numerous plays and musicals: as sexy, fishnet stocking-clad Sally Bowles in Cabaret; washing that man out of her hair in South Pacific. Nancy drew the spotlight both on- and offstage. She and Erick had a busy social life. Blond, beautiful, stylish Nancy knew how to create an energy field and bring the party into it, and she delighted in taking creative risks: She bought a nightgown on a sale rack and made it seem an elegant evening gown. She created statement jewelry pieces out of ALCOA scraps.

The marriage ended in 1975. Nancy returned to Madison, bringing Christopher with her. She met Dr. Matthew “Dinny” Davis, an ophthalmologist and academic researcher, through mutual friends at the medical clinic where she worked. They married in 1981.

Theirs was a long and loving marriage — they traveled for Dinny’s work, to see their families, and on adventures further afield — yet complicated by Nancy’s determination to pursue a religious path that others were concerned was mental illness. Years earlier, while taking classes at Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, she had come to believe that God had given her a purpose and a role: to bring about heaven on earth. In trying to fill that role, she could be harshly judgmental and at times violent; at other times she became deeply depressed. Such extremes were greatly eased over time by medications and regular meetings with a psychiatrist.

In her sixties and seventies, Nancy turned her extraordinary energy to making art. She took classes, became friends with other artists, and rented a studio before she and Dinny built one into their home. Her work ranged widely, but came to focus on textile art. She created numerous quilts and batik artwork, as well as hand-dyed and handmade clothing, each bearing an “nld” label. Nancy held several shows and sold multiple pieces. She brought visiting grandchildren to her studios to work alongside her.

In 2018, Dinny Davis died in his sleep at age 91, under one of Nancy’s quilts with her arms around him. Nancy moved to Brookdale Madison-West, where she continued her purpose by ministering to the needs of other community members.

Son Peter became a steady support and regular visitor to Brookdale. He took Nancy to museums, shows, and sites in the area; together they ate food both fast and fine. She loved being out and about with such a handsome younger man at her side.

In her final months, Nancy was ready to die. Still in conversation with God, she asked to be reunited with Dinny. Increasingly she also asked for a “soft death.” Each night she went to bed hoping it would be her last, and each morning she awoke disappointed. Then she would get up, turn back to life and her community.

As Easter drew near, she told each of her children that she was going to heaven. On Monday, March 9, Nancy went to bed wrapped in one of her quilts. The next morning she did not wake up. On a white-board next to the bed, she had written HEAVEN!

Nancy Laine Davis was also preceded in death by Dinny’s son Matthew Graham Davis, brother James Herrick, and first husband Erick Laine. She is survived by children Kristen (Jim Collins), Peter (Constance Ensner), Erick Laine, Jr. (Susan), Christopher (Ulli Valentini); grandchildren Kimberly Young (Tyler), Mike Laine (Heather Duvall), Kelen Laine, Forrest Laine (Annie Moore), Will Laine (Mamie Tabet), Ursula Collins-Laine, Virgil Collins-Laine, River Laine; great-grandchildren Victoria and Trevyn Young, Harlow Laine, Abel Laine; brother-in-law Tom Laine (Aleta), nieces Joanna Laine and Sarah Laine (Jordan Kasten-Krause); Dinny’s children Ann Davis-Martinez (Santiago), Peter Davis, Amelia Davis (Galo Paz), Lisa Davis Hanson (Gregory); grandchildren Allison LaTour (Paul), Joshua Martinez-Davis (Jenna Cotignotto), Hanson children; and other family and friends.

The family is holding a private memorial service on Sunday, March 29.

To view her obituary and leave a memory, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com


Ryan Funeral Service & Legacy Center
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