Dorothy Clayton Travers Davies, 86 DOVER - Dorothy Clayton Travers Davies, passed away peacefully Monday, March 8, 2010, at Westminster Village Health Center, where she spent the last eight years. She was 86. Dorothy was born November 19, 1923, in Wilmington, the only child of Frederick George and Helen Merrick Clayton. Dorothy was a wife, mother, opera singer, linguist, artist, community volunteer and world traveler. She graduated from P.S. DuPont High School in 1941 and attended the University of Delaware. She was a talented lyric soprano vocalist who taught at the Wilmington Music School and performed with the choir at Christ Church, Christiana Hundred, the Wilmington Opera Society, the Brecks Mill Cronies and the Brandywiners, LTD. Dorothy also performed at an annual amateur concert at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy in 1963. She was the owner, publisher, and editor of the New Castle Gazette from 1968-1979, and a founding member of the Delaware Press Women in 1977. She was a member of the Arasapha Garden Club and served as chairperson of the 1965 State Flower Show, held at the old University of Delaware Field House, Newark. In New Castle in 1979, Dorothy founded a bi-racial committee (the first of its kind in New Castle) to fund and launch the Summer Concert Series, held at Battery Park each year, still going strong. She taught health-related courses at Delaware Technical and Community College (1980), and was a private practitioner of health after graduating from the Alpha Health Institute in Atlanta, Ga. Dorothy spoke five languages, owned and operated Friday's Gift Box near Collins Park, and was involved in numerous community associations, both in Delaware and in West Palm Beach, Fla. Dorothy loved art in all its aspects. She enjoyed sharing her lovely gardens and beautifully decorated home, Lesley Manor, in New Castle, where she created some outstanding gourmet French and Italian meals for family and guests. She was an accomplished sculptor and needlepoint crafter. Dorothy was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She wanted her sons and grandchildren to live life to its fullest and always strive to be and do their best. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Major N. Travers Jr. of New Castle; and her second son, Frederick George Travers of West Palm Beach, Fla. She is survived by her loving and devoted second husband, Ronald L. Davies. In addition to her second husband, Dorothy is survived by her sons, Major N. Travers III and his wife Joyce of Newark and James W. Travers and his wife Carolyn of New Castle; daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Boyd-Travers of West Palm Beach, Fla.; granddaughters, Stacey Purdie and husband John and Trina Tuufuli and husband Daniel; great-granddaughter, Abigail Tuufuli; step-granddaughter, Kristin Snover and husband Robert of Newark; step-grandson, Scott Toner and wife Jaime of Salisbury, Md.; and step-great-grandchildren, Dakota, Zachary and Noah Snover, and Laura, Sara and Mary Toner. Dorothy's vibrant personality will be missed by all. The family wishes to thank Dr. Joann Fields and the staff of Westminster Village Health Center for their years of tender and compassionate care of Dorothy. A memorial service to celebrate Dorothy's life will be 1 p.m. Saturday, March 20, 2010, at her much-loved Church of the Holy City (Swedenborgian), Pennsylvania Ave at Broom Street, Wilmington. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Delaware Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association or Westminster Village in Dover.