Obituary
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mary Pietsch Davis, who died on June 28, 2026.
Born on March 5, 1935, Mary lived a life rich in accomplishment, engagement, and love. She will be remembered for her signature vigor, enthusiasm for life and endless curiosity for what lay off the beaten path, literally. She was famous for veering off while driving to go down a new road, explore an unknown neighborhood, or check out an interesting building.
Delight came easily to Mary. She often would stop suddenly and exclaim about whatever had caught her eye: a hummingbird visiting the red salvia in her garden, an interesting cloud or a quail family tittering along the patio wall. At Christmas, she delighted in decorating the house and baking Lebkuchen, the family Christmas cookie that is impossible to stop eating. On Christmas Eve, she loved lighting candles on the tree, just as her mother had. She was thrilled when the movie "That's Entertainment" came out so she could share her love for the 1930's MGM musicals with her kids.
Mary valued generosity. She was a thoughtful gift giver and a regular donor to multiple non profits. She shared the gift of her knowledge about historic Albuquerque and Corrales, often and with enthusiasm. She was easy to give gifts to because she was herself a collector, of snow globes, pressed Mexican tin, miniature villages, garden art, to name a few.
But Mary was more than delight and generosity. She laughed wholeheartedly and often. She had a passion for debate and would often voice her righteous indignation in the face of human depravity. She was bright, hardworking, and surprisingly unsure of herself, given her many strengths. She could be quick to judge, and also enthusiastically for you.
Mary's curiosity about the past found a natural home in her professional life. She served for many years as the historic preservation planner with the City of Albuquerque, and played a key role in preserving historic buildings like the Kimo Theater. As a city planner, she contributed to the book "Historic Albuquerque Today" and wrote several articles on the history of Albuquerque's older neighborhoods. She also coauthored "Shining River Precious Land", an oral history of Albuquerque's north valley. Once retired, she brought her energy and enthusiasm for local history to the Corrales Historical Society. She published two books about Corrales history and wrote several articles for The Corrales Comment. In 2022 she was proclaimed the official historian of Corrales.
Mary brought to both her personal and professional life a belief in and a strong capacity for collaboration. She, with other new parents, helped start the Albuquerque Preschool Cooperative. With two other movie lovers, she started a film society that brought old movies to the Guild Theater, including her favorite, "The Seven Samurai." Her published writing about the North Valley and Corrales came out of hours of interviews with long time residents of the middle Rio Grande valley. She and Paul, her husband of nearly 70 years, literally built a home together, a collaboration that lasted for the majority of their marriage.
For one of her many art projects, Mary created a tile mosaic that read, "What I love is close at hand." She could love fiercely at times, but mostly it was with her whole heart, in the delight that caught her often all of a sudden, in the respect and affection for her family, friends and pets, and in her commitment to her work and her community.
Mary is survived by her husband Paul Davis; their three children, Ben, Kate and Joshua and their respective spouses; four grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.
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966 Old Church Rd.
Corrales, NM 87048
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