By Rodd Cayton
An Aug. 11 memorial service has been set for one of Corrales’ greatest champions. Village Historian Mary Davis died June 28 from surgery complications, according to an announcement from the Corrales Historical Society. She lived in the village for more than 50 years.
Davis, who wrote Hometown Corrales, A Family Album and was the lead author of Corrales (Images of America: New Mexico), was the village’s biggest fan, her son Joshua Davis told the Corrales Comment.
“She loved Corrales,” he said. “She loved the people there, and she loved everything about it — and Corraleños loved her.” Davis said his mother, after retirement, dedicated herself to learning as much as she could about the village. In addition to the books, Mary Davis wrote a semi-monthly historical column for the Comment.
Mary Davis’ career included a stint with the Albuquerque Historical Landmark Survey. She was later a historic preservation planner for the city. Joshua Davis and his siblings, Ben and Kate, grew up in Corrales. Mary is also survived by her husband, Paul.
“Her enormous contributions to village history and preservation will live on forever,” an in memoriam statement from the historical society reads in part. The memorial service is at 11 a.m. at the Old San Ysidro Church, 966 Old Church Road.