Mary Elizabeth Spencer-Davis – known to most as Mary Beth or Beth – 76, passed away peacefully on April 13, 2025, at home in Seattle, Washington. Mary Beth was born on February 1, 1949, in Glendale, California, the second daughter of Fremont Emerson Davis, Jr., M.D., and Barbara Davis and grew up in La Cañada, California. She is survived by her son Charlie, and her sisters Suzi Schomer and Ann Escue (Ron).

Mary Beth’s life was defined by compassion to humans and animals alike.

She graduated La Cañada High School in 1967, then attended Colorado State University before getting her nursing degree from Pasadena City College in 1972. She worked as a nurse in emergency departments, ICUs, and oncology until her retirement in 2015. Of all her jobs, Mary Beth most cherished being a flight nurse for UCLA MedStar in the 1980s. Even when she was battling her own ills and ailments, she took exceptional care of her patients.

Mary Beth’s passions outside of work ran the gamut. She was SCUBA certified and loved spending time underwater, especially in the Catalina Island kelp beds. She loved calligraphy and making stained glass. She loved dogs and had four devoted canine companions over the years.

In 1991, Mary Beth enlisted as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and served as a flight nurse. She was deployed to RAF Croughton in England during Operation Desert Storm.

When Mary Beth returned from Desert Storm she moved to Seattle, Washington. She gave birth to her only son, Charlie, in 1993.

Mary Beth found many joys in retirement, spending much of her time continuing to give back to her Seattle community. She joined the North End Flower Club and served as Chair of the “Birds, Bees, and Beneficial Insects” committee. She volunteered as an ombudsman advocating for seniors in assisted living facilities. She volunteered by feeding parishioners at the St. Alphonsus “Angel’s Cafe.” She loved watching entire seasons of British TV shows in one sitting. And most of all, she spent as much time as the Seattle rain would allow in her garden, enjoying her flowers and  feeding the neighborhood critters with peanuts, bird seed, and fruit and vegetable scraps.

As a generous friend and neighbor, devoted sister, and loving mother, Mary Beth leaves behind a legacy of love and compassion. Everyone who spent time with her left better and happier. She exuded kindness: through her words, her actions, her smiles, and her hugs. She will be missed but not forgotten.

A celebration of Mary Beth’s life will be held at the St. Alphonsus Parish School Family Center on July 12, 2025, at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the following organizations in memory of Mary Beth:

• Friends of Yolo County Animal Services (https://www.friendsofycas.org/)
• Mary’s Place (https://www.marysplaceseattle.org/)
• The Wounded Warrior Project (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/)

The Ballard Food Bank (https://www.ballardfoodbank.org/)