Nora Ann McGuinness

Nora Ann Mahoney was born in Chicago, IL July 09, 1936, to Cornelius and Josephine Mahoney, both of whom had emigrated to the United States. As the first generation born in the US, Nora remained fiercely proud of her Irish heritage, an attachment she carried forward in her scholarship on Jack Yeats and the traditions she imparted on her children, all of whom are foreign born citizens of Ireland.

Nora completed her formative education at Trinity High School and then under the Dominican nuns of Rosary College (now Dominican University) both in River Forest, IL, a suburb of Chicago. From there, she enrolled in the elite English Literature graduate program at the University of Wisconsin where she met another scholarly Irish-American, Arthur E. (“Art”) McGuinness. They married that summer and Nora earned her Masters in English from Wisconsin. After a year of teaching in Chicago, they returned to Madison where she became one of the first lay teachers at Edgewood College while Art got his PhD. In Madison, Wisconsin, they welcomed the first of their three children, Anne Elizabeth.

This growing family followed the post-war boom of migration to California, settling in Davis in 1964, where Nora worked in Publications and the Chancellor’s office and ultimately lectured at the English Department at UC Davis. In 1969, Nora and Art helped found Integrated Studies at UC Davis which just celebrated its 50th anniversary and helped shape, along with the Davis Honors Challenge, the honors programs in place today which Nora led or was involved with her entire career. It was during this career shaping moment for both Nora and Art that they welcomed their second and third children, Michael Joseph (adopted at age 2) and Kathryn Anne.

This expanded and full family unit took a Fall Quarter sabbatical in London (1970) followed by an additional two year stay from 1974 - 1976 during which Nora worked on her PhD while Art was coordinating the UC Education Abroad Program. Following their return from London, Nora returned to her day job in the College of Engineering at UC Davis and in the evening continued her pursuit of a PhD in English Literature at UD Davis, under the tutelage of the legendary scholar Ruby Cohn. Nora earned her PhD in 1982 and walked the stage with her eldest daughter, Anne Elizabeth, who was graduating at the same time with her Bachelors from the UC Davis College of Engineering.

While coordinating the Education Abroad Program in the seventies, Art and Nora realized not all students could take advantage of this opportunity. They pioneered a program called Summer Sessions International, which took students abroad over the Summer, allowing them to experience international education and earn UC credit without having to commit to a full year abroad. Over the next nearly two decades, Nora and Art spent every summer in London as part of this program.

Nora loved travel and theater. Spending summers in London was a perfect way for her to enjoy English language theater at its height. She also attended Berkeley Repertory Theater and the Ashland Shakespeare Festival regularly with her family, former students and their friends. As a literature PhD and English Literature Lecturer at UC Davis, Nora always carried a passion for reading and books surrounded her life as anyone who has been to her home can tell. She never left home without one, and in her home, her many bookshelves are filled with literary delights. Her youngest daughter Kathryn Anne took to this passion for literature, following in Nora’s footsteps by earning a Masters in Literature from Oxford University.

Their Catholic education instilled Nora and Art a passion for social justice and they were actively involved in Catholic Charities foster parenting and the housing of unwed mothers in need. They were also passionate supporters of the rights of Farm Workers and the summer education of migrant children. Nora’s other volunteer activities included membership in was an active volunteer as a member of the Newman Center Catholic Community, the University Farm Circle, and the American Conference for Irish Studies (ACIS). Most recently held several volunteer roles at the University Retirement Community where she lived for the last several years.

In an era where working mothers were not yet common, Nora made balancing work and family look effortless. Summer and international programs allowed the family to travel and for her to introduce her children to the experience of world-class music, theater, cultural landmarks and more museums than anyone can count. She was a hands-on coach with writing, always willing to help edit and revise even in Graduate School or at work. It was never too late at night and she was never too busy to roll up her sleeves and get involved.

As a grandmother she traveled well into her 80s to New York, Los Angeles the Bay Area at the holidays and attending plays, concerts and sporting events. She hosted an extended family week at the beach in Santa Cruz for many years to foster and sustain family connections.

Nora was preceded in death by her husband, parents Cornelius and Josephine Mahoney and sister Kathryn Finn. She is survived by her sister Mary Bowsher; children Anne McGuinness O’Neal (married to Mike O’Neal), Michael Joseph McGuinness (married to Jackie McGuinness) and Kathryn Anne McGuinness and grandchildren Sean O’Neal, Casey O’Neal (married to Alézja O’Neal), Margaret McGuinness, Caroline McGuinness, Patrick McGuinness, Lucy Carpiac, and Lily Carpiac.

The family would like to thank the Health Care Staff at the University Retirement Community and the Staff at Comfort Keepers, particularly Kelly Faught, for their care of Nora for the last few years. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Nora’s name to the Parkinson’s Foundation (The Parkinson's Foundation).

A Funeral Mass will take place Friday March 20 at 12 pm at St. James Catholic Church in Davis

There will also be a viewing Thursday March 19 from 4-7 at Smith Funeral Home in Davis with a Rosary beginning at 6pm.