Anne Davies

Anne Davies (1924-2018) was the mother of Zonta member Susan Davies, a rural child of the Depression from Orange, NSW, who had the double whammy of being born a girl before women had much choice of a future except family money or a good marriage. But early influences stuck!

Anne’s mother Emily May was a fierce mother of three daughters. She always believed a woman needed to have her own money – however small. When Anne met Frank in WW2 in Sydney, she recognised in him a like-minded young man who also longed for freedom from the daily grind of a low-paid job without education and prospects. After they married and had children, she craved and worked hard for her daughter (and her sons) a good education and choices. 

She loved maths, accounting and business.  Her daughter loves words, history and communications.  Nevertheless they made a pact – Susan would go to university; Anne would teach her about running a small business.  Susan became a journalist, a public relations consultant, an employer, a business consultant, a fund-raiser and a devoted feminist. When Anne died in 2018 Susan donated $30,000 to the Zonta Brisbane Advancement of Women Fund, knowing her mum would have heartily approved.

Cathy Hunt won the Zonta Club of Brisbane 2019 Advancement of Women Award and donated it to #inhername