Ellen M. Davison, 96

Ellen M. Davison

Ellen Morton Davison, 96, of Bridgton, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017, after a short illness.

Ellen was born April 27, 1921, in Johnstown, Penn., the youngest of three children born to Ernest and Ethel Morton, who were natives of Portland, Maine. The family returned to Portland in 1926 and Ellen attended Portland schools, graduating from Deering High School in 1939. One memorable story from her years at Deering was riding down Congress Street on the back of her brother Rutledge’s motorcycle while wearing her DHS girls basketball uniform, purple satin bloomers — quite scandalous for the time. Ellen attended Green Mountain College in Vermont, where her athletic prowess landed her in the GMC Athletic Hall of Fame. She earned an Associate’s degree at GMC and later her B.S. in Physical Education from the University of New Hampshire in 1943. While at UNH she was member of the Pi Lambda Honorary Society.

As a young adult, Ellen spent eight summers as sports counselor at Camp Laughing Loon in Waterboro, and at Camp Wyonegonic in Denmark. She was a faculty member at Green Mountain College from 1943–45, and taught at Waynflete School in Portland from 1945–46. In addition to her fondness for sports, Ellen loved music. She would often break into boisterous renditions of her favorite camp songs, reflecting the wonderful memories of those years.

Ellen married John Philip Davison of Woodsville, N.H., on March 9, 1946, at the Woodfords Congregational Church in Portland. John, a U.S. Army Air Forces Veteran of World War II, was a faculty member of the University of Virginia Medical School for 25 years. Ellen and John lovingly raised five children: James, Ann, Joel, John, and Andrew. Ellen was the Director of the Tots-On-Top preschool program for underprivileged children at the First Presbyterian Church of Charlottesville, Virginia, from 1968–1982.

After many years serving others, Ellen and John retired to Bridgton in 1982. Ellen volunteered extensively, joining the Bridgton Hospital Guild and numerous committees at the First Congregational Church. She also held positions on the Alumni Board for Green Mountain College. Her happiest hours were spent at the “Green Camp” at Little Sebago Lake, working on many projects, taking care of the summer cottage that was in her family for 70 years, and hosting frequent family gatherings. Ellen and John enjoyed travel during their retirement, making trips with friends to Alaska and Europe. Throughout her life, Ellen enjoyed observing wildlife. Ellen was an avid birder, and she followed these interests until the end of her life, watching from the windows of her home the passage of all kinds of animals through four seasons, which she reported on in daily e-mails to family and friends. Her sense of humor and fondness for practical jokes (often played on her children) also spanned all her years.

Ellen is survived by her children, James Davison, Ann Davison and her husband Cony Dragomir, Joel Davison and his wife Karen, John Davison and his wife Caroline, and Andrew Davison and his wife Susan; her grandchildren, Matthew and his wife Sara, Tara Cassidy and her husband Jeff, Rebecca Sweek and her husband David Broussard, Benjamin Sweek and his wife Megan, Benjamin Davison and his wife Lisa, Deanna Davison, Allyson Cook, Kristen Davison and Eric Davison; and her great-grandchildren, Adam Davison, Megan Davison, Noel Davison, Connor Davison, Marquise Sweek, Carter Sweek, Mira Broussard, Kai Broussard, Heather Vincent and Hailey Vincent.

A Memorial Service was held on Sat., Sept. 30, at the First Congregational Church in Bridgton.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Harvest Hills Animal Shelter, 1389 Bridgton Road, Fryeburg, Maine.