October 14, 1926, brought the first edition of A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh as well as the birth of Frannie Davis. This fun fact always tickled Davis — a woman who grew up to touch the lives of countless others through her kindness, generosity, and passion for human rights, women's rights, environmental protection, and world peace.
As a young woman, Davis worked at a camp for disadvantaged children, an experience that shaped her thinking about the world and gave her an unexpected opportunity to meet Eleanor Roosevelt, whom she deeply admired. Davis earned her undergraduate degree at Vassar College and her master's degree in education at Cornell University. She taught in a two-room schoolhouse in Vermont and later at an elementary school in Ithaca, N.Y.
In addition to teaching, Davis offered support to people in trouble at a drop-in counseling center, advocated for children as a guardian ad litem, wrote stories and sold ads for alternative newspapers, and volunteered for community radio and on behalf of numerous political campaigns.
Throughout her life, Davis remained committed to helping people and generously contributed her time and resources to causes she believed in, including civil rights, women's equality, and the environment. In short, she is the model UUSC supporter, passionate about others, standing up for those whose voices are not being heard, and championing environmental rights.
By creating a charitable remainder trust, Davis left a legacy gift to UUSC that amounted to more than her lifetime giving. Her three children were comforted to learn that their mother's gift was in line with her priorities and truly represented her wishes. Thanks to the generosity of her planned gift, Davis will continue to support UUSC's programs for years to come.
