IN MEMORIAM – Ann E. Davis (1947-2025)
Ann Davis was an early member of URPE and made important contributions both to our organization and to the field of radical economics. She served on the Steering Committee, the Editorial Board of the Review of Radical Political Economics, and most recently was co-editor of the URPE Newsletter (now Forum). Her research interests covered a broad range, from finance within the capitalist system to ecology and property relations. She authored four books and over 30 journal articles. Her comments on articles submitted to RRPE and to the Newsletter were incisive, and demonstrated her broad knowledge of several fields.
Those who knew her remark on her sharp analyses and thought-provoking presentations, but also on her calm presence and her support of colleagues and students. She was a gifted moderator, able to work out differences of opinion in discussion groups to which she belonged. Words used to describe her include: courageous, devoted, loving, sensitive, brilliant and thoughtful.
She was founder and director of the Bureau of Economic Research at Marist College where she taught for 36 years. She was a long-time member of the Marxist-Feminist Group1, and also a member of the International Association for Feminist Economics. She was active in the Jewish community, a founding member of the Poughkeepsie Havurah (fellowship circle).
Ann was married to Bob McAulay, with whom she had two children Sara and Jeffrey. She will be greatly missed.
Most of Ann’s research articles and books are listed on ResearchGate.
Below are messages shared by people whose lives have been touched by Ann:
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From Julie Matthaei:
I also have been shocked and very saddened by Ann’s passing on. I have appreciated her consistent and steadfast participation in our Marxist-feminist group over many years. She could be counted on to suggest great topics for our sessions and then deliver thought provoking presentations. She also made important contributions to the field of radical monetary theory with her recent books.
A wonderful MF sister who will be sorely missed!
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From Neşecan Balkan:
….I am so sorry to hear this sad news… I did not know Ann too well but her thoughtful questions and incisive comments always impressed me during our meetings. Her calm presence and sweet smile will always stay with me. We will miss her dearly.
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From Sharon Leder:
I am saddened to hear of Ann’s passing away, and will always admire her steadfast courage during her life to use all her skills as a thinker, writer, and teacher to repair the world–tikkun olam, in addition to her devotion as a wife and loving mother. Ann was my good friend, an encourager of others, and a deep and sensitive person.
Ann was my colleague in the M/F I Study group for over 40 years, my neighbor in Poughkeepsie for 15 years, and a founding member of our Poughkeepsie Havurah. Ann also began a Poughkeepsie Women’s Torah Study, to which she brought provocative articles for our consideration by feminists like Gerda Lerner and Deborah Dash-Moore. Ann even allowed me to interview her about her own Jewish journey. I learned about the Hadassah ladies in the small Jewish community in Tennessee where she was raised, and about her mother’s efforts to rinse her hair with lemon juice to lighten its color. I also can hear Ann’s laughter and giggles when she was amused and I enjoyed her smiles.
Ann will live on as long as we remember her. May her soul rest in peace, though I do imagine Ann making efforts even in heaven to improve the problems she finds there.
In loving memory of Ann.
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From Paddy Quick:
We mourn the loss of Ann Davis, a member of MF1, who died of cancer this year. Those who know more directly than me, will, I hope, let us know how best we can share our grief with that of others.
Ann was a participant in the early work of the radical political economists that had resulted in the foundation of the Union for Radical Political Economics (URPE), and an active feminist within it. Her own theoretical work focused on the development of finance.
We will miss her.
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From Marlyn Klee:
I am sorry to receive news of Ann’s death. She made many thoughtful, disciplined contributions to our M-F discussions over the years.
In loving remembrance, Marlyn Klee
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From Craig Wolf (on William Miller Funeral Home website):
When Ann founded the Bureau of Economic Research at Marist, the Hudson Valley received a great boon. And I, as a journalist, benefited from many long interviews that helped me understand the field so that I could bring it to life for readers. She applied her expertise in interpreting economic statistics and doing analysis to our own neighborhood, Dutchess County and the Hudson Valley
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From Marianne Hill:
Dear All — I find the news of Ann Davis’ death hard to believe – she’s been so active this year in both Marxist-Feminist 1 and with the URPE newsletter, which she revived a couple of years ago. She emailed us about a newsletter submission August 6, just 5 days before her death! Ann has been an active part of URPE since its early days and has contributed much to the work of URPE, MF1 and to the field of radical economics – especially as related to finance. Her comments on newsletter submissions were incisive and showed great knowledge in several fields. Although I have worked with her in varying capacities for over 40 years, most recently I have been her co-editor for the URPE newsletter/forum. Ann had a calm presence, was supportive of colleagues and as a newsletter editor, she did a fantastic job of working out differences of opinion among us. She will be greatly missed.
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