Judith (Judy) Rohrer Davis (born Judith Anne Rohrer) was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on July 29, 1939, just a day after her father's 30th birthday. She was the first child of her parents, Frederick (Fritz) Findlay Rohrer, Jr., and Jane Gracey Rohrer, who later welcomed her sister, Sally Brooks Rohrer, into the world when Judy was seven years old. Her father was in the military when Judy was born, so she and her family had some short stays in Elyria (Ohio), Davenport (Iowa), Philadelphia, and Arlington (Virginia) before returning to Pittsburgh, where Judy lived in Shadyside and Fox Chapel until 1999. Judy attended the prestigious Winchester-Thurston School in Pittsburgh and later graduated from Sweet Briar College in Virginia with a degree in Art History. She was very athletic, playing golf and tennis, and was especially good at field hockey until a knee injury caused her to stop. After college, she spent a year in Florence, Italy, before returning to Pittsburgh, where she married Gary Davis and proudly raised her three sons, Rick, Brooks, and Tim.

Rick shared many special experiences with his mother, but his favorite memory is when they traveled to Italy in August of 1990. They went to Rome and Florence. Rick had never been to Italy before, and they first visited Rome, where they toured the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and the Vatican. Rick was particularly inspired by Michelangelo’s Pietà and the Sistine Chapel ceiling. They then visited Florence and saw the Ponte Vecchio, Brunelleschi’s Duomo, and toured the Uffizi Museum, which housed several Italian Renaissance masterpieces, including Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Personally experiencing these works of art was extremely meaningful to Rick, as he had studied Italian Renaissance art in college. They had a wonderful time, and Rick will always remember the trip together as one of his fondest memories of his mother and carry it in his heart for the rest of his life.

Brooks’ fondest memory of his mother was being with her at the annual Pittsburgh Garden Club summer event held in Shadyside at Schenley Park. He remembers drinking lemon juice from a candy cane straw inserted into a lemon half and when she painted his favorite toy car yellow to use one year as a planter. Judy looked forward to this event all year. She always went out of her way to make sure the holidays were special.

Tim will always be thankful for her fostering in him a love of classical music, puzzles, word games, and a genuine passion for both intellectual curiosity and serving your loved ones. One of his favorite childhood memories of his mom is going grocery shopping together and riding in the shopping cart, plucking items from the shelf at the Giant Eagle in Harmarville, PA, when he wasn’t old enough to attend school yet. It was a weekly bonding ritual that will forever remain one of his sweetest remembrances. After Tim met his wife, Ruth, while living in Germany, Judy took up the language so she could better communicate with her new relatives and enjoy her many visits there.

Throughout her life, Judy was a voracious reader, avid gardener, and—like her father—a lover of classical music. After her sons left for college, she pursued many interests, from working as a private detective for Pinkerton’s to volunteering with Foxwall Ambulance Service in Pittsburgh, where she became certified first as an EMT and later as a paramedic. Later, she found a passion for counseling, earned her master’s degree as a licensed counselor, and spent many years helping people through difficult times, primarily pro bono, to help overcome her clients’ financial barriers.
In 1999, Judy left Pittsburgh and moved to Raleigh to be closer to her sons, Tim and Rick, with Brooks relocating shortly thereafter to Charleston, South Carolina. In Raleigh, Judy explored archaeology by volunteering at the Office of State Archaeology Research Center within the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. She continued to volunteer throughout her seventies, facilitating Enneagram groups at her local church and helping in any way she could. In her personal time, Judy loved her dogs—especially her border collie, Mollie—and enjoyed going to the beach whenever possible with friends and family, delighting in the feeling of sand between her toes.

As a tirelessly devoted grandmother, Judy babysat, took her grandkids shopping and to the movies, had sleepovers, and hosted the absolute favorite of all: Grammie’s Christmas Party, where they made crafts, played bingo and other games for prizes, and enjoyed fun refreshments. Her grandkids especially loved the bingo games, so she took every opportunity to have them over during the year for more fun and prizes.

Judy touched many lives and will be greatly missed by those who were blessed enough to know her. She is survived by her sons Rick (Leisa), Brooks (Rebecca), and Tim (Ruth); her sister Sally; and her seven prized grandchildren: Matthew, Nathaniel, Lexi, Emmie, Rieka, Luke, and Kira. A Celebration of Life will be held at Renaissance Funeral Home in North Raleigh. For those unable to attend, you can best honor Judy by reading a good novel, listening to a symphony, planting some flowers, or simply doing something nice for the people you love.