Obituary: Martin Norman Davis

April 9, 1940 – November 12, 2024 

November 27, 2024

Martin Norman Davis. 1940-2024

Martin Norman Davis, 84, passed away at his home in Waterbury Center, on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. Born in Waterbury on April 9, 1940, he was the son of the late Alfred N. Davis and Verna A. (Martin) Dumas. He was previously married to Diana Woodmansee on January 12, 1974, in Waterbury Center.
Martin graduated from Waterbury High School, class of 1959. After high school he joined the U.S. Army and after his honorable discharge, he was employed at IBM for 11 years.

Martin was a gifted artist and musician. He worked for many years at The Spinning Wheel making chainsaw carvings with Ron and Max. He played the fiddle in many local groups, including The Jericho Road Crew, Marty and Maple Sugar, The Jericho String Band, and The Bear Swamp Heritage Band. He was co-chair of the National Fiddle Contest in Barre in the 1980s, the only National Fiddle Contest to take place in Vermont. On June 1, 2014, Martin was inducted into the Northeast Fiddlers' Hall of Fame for his dedication to Old Time Fiddling and the Northeast Fiddlers Association. Martin also loved to paint. Nearly all of his available wall space was covered with the colorful paintings he had done over many decades, dabbling in a few different styles.
He will be deeply missed by his family: his brothers Ned Davis, Roy and his wife Joyce Davis; his children Anissa Davis and her partner Timothy Petit, Jeff Davis and his partner Tammy Dubie, Greg and Melissa Tobin-Davis; and his grandchildren, Reliance and Jaxon LaFoe, Tristian Touchette and his partner Celia Liberman, Stefan Davis and his partner Paige Allegra, Alex and Kayla Davis and their children Charlie and Hadley, Andrew and Anna Davis and their children Ashton and Carter, Caitlyn Davis and her partner Eric Schlossman, Troy Davis, Gregory Davis and his partner Lucas Kinney; as well as extended family and many friends. 

Martin was predeceased by both of his parents and his brother Donald Davis Sr.

A memorial service to celebrate Martin’s life will be held on December 28 at 11 a.m. at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Waterbury. A reception will follow the service in the church dining room. Martin was buried beside his mother Verna in Holy Cross Cemetery in Duxbury. 

For those who wish, memorial gifts can be made to The Northeast Fiddlers Association. To send online condolences please visit perkinsparker.com.