Donna Davies

Historian with attitude

November 22, 2016 | | Local Heroes

Donna Davies: One of our 2016 Local Heroes

A consummate editor, Donna Davies wasn’t content to guess at the meaning of “badass”; she looked it up online. Badass – very cool, excellent, awesome, she discovered. “Who knew?!” she laughs. It turns out that Donna’s grandchildren, who all attend university, promise they’ll inscribe “Badass Grandma” on her gravestone when the time comes.

Donna Davies, historian with attitude. Photo by Pete Paterson.

Donna Davies, historian with attitude. Photo by Pete Paterson.

But by all measures that won’t happen anytime soon. As vibrant as ever in retirement, Donna was too busy this year to play as much golf as she would have liked. “I don’t spend all of my time on history and genealogy,” she says, “but you might think I do.”

If family – husband Chuck, four children and four grandchildren – are Donna’s first love, history and genealogy are her grand, and time-consuming, passions. This means Caledon East, the village where she lives in a designated heritage house, is very lucky indeed. Of the seven books on local history Donna has edited or helped to edit since she retired, several celebrate her adopted home. But Settling the Hills: Historical Reflections – Caledon East and District, which was published in 2000, stands out for her. “Each chapter was written by someone different, so it has 14 authors,” she explains.

As anyone who has edited a book knows, working with even two authors on the same project can be challenging, as it’s unlikely everyone has the same vision of the final product. But Donna didn’t just pull it off, she was the driving force behind a book much loved by the community and its authors. For Donna, this book and her successful nomination this year of her longtime friend (and In the Hills columnist) Ken Weber to Caledon’s Walk of Fame are two of her major achievements.

We’re sitting in her home office, where the slender, immaculately turned out, pearl-necklace-and-all Donna does much of her work. She’s president of the Caledon East and District Historical Society – and she has come to realize the position may be permanent. “I’ve tried to find a successor but it isn’t working,” she says. Donna has been or is involved with Heritage Caledon, the Caledon Heritage Foundation, the Ontario Historical Society, Caledon/Dufferin Victim Services, Caledon Meals on Wheels, the Ontario Trillium Foundation and St. James Anglican Church in Caledon East. She received an Ontario Heritage Award for Settling the Hills, and until she retired in 1997, she worked full-time as administrative assistant to the CEO of a health services company. And if that isn’t enough, she plays bridge and golf, and loves to read, garden and travel. But there’s more. In her spare time Donna searches family trees for her friends.

  • Story Continues Below Advertisements
  • “When I came to Caledon East [from Toronto], I didn’t know a concession from a sideroad,” she admits. But she learned all that and more as she helped authors research, design and organize their books. Moreover, she became an integral part of the community.

    “Donna has an uncanny ability to look ahead for what needs to be done, and then she does it with efficiency and charm,” says Ken Weber of his friend. “Quite simply, she makes the world a better place.” High praise for a Badass Grandma.

    More Info

    After selling out, Settling the Hills: Historical Reflections – Caledon East and District, co-ordinated by Donna Davies, was reprinted this year.
    Where to order a copy: http://www.cedhs.ca/books-published.html

    About the Author More by Nicola Ross

    Freelance writer Nicola Ross lives in Alton and is the author of the bestselling 'Loops and Lattes' hiking guide series.

    Comments

    4 Comments

    1. Hi, where can we order a copy?

      Roberta Whitby on Dec 21, 2016 at 11:23 pm | Reply

    2. What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful person. It has been our good fortune to know her.

      Arlene & George McKee

      Arlene McKee from Rocky Hill, CT on Nov 28, 2016 at 10:23 am | Reply

    3. She is indeed a badass! Her energy and intelligence make her an outstanding citizen and a remarkable human being.

      Robert Bell on Nov 23, 2016 at 2:24 pm | Reply

    Leave a Comment

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    By posting a comment you agree that IN THE HILLS magazine has the legal right to publish, edit or delete all comments for use both online or in print. You also agree that you bear sole legal responsibility for your comments, and that you will hold IN THE HILLS harmless from the legal consequences of your comment, including libel, copyright infringement and any other legal claims. Any comments posted on this site are NOT the opinion of IN THE HILLS magazine. Personal attacks, offensive language and unsubstantiated allegations are not allowed. Please report inappropriate comments to vjones@inthehills.ca.