Matthew Davis

Madison - Dr. Matthew D. "Dinny" Davis, age 91, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 5, 2018, at home in the loving care of his wife Nancy and daughter Amelia.

Dinny was born on October 25, 1926, in Madison, the son of Dr. Frederick and Edith Davis. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his undergraduate degree, and obtained his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He returned to Madison for his ophthalmology residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospital.

Dinny married Barbara Archer in 1951, and together they raised their five children in Madison. They separated in 1974, and subsequently divorced. In 1981, Dinny married Nancy Laine. Dinny and Nancy went on to share the next four decades of their lives together. Dinny's residency training was interrupted by two years of active duty for the US Naval Reserve from 1953 to 1955. Following the completion of his residency, he completed a retina fellowship at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston with Dr. Charles Schepens.

Dinny returned to Madison in 1956 to take a part-time faculty position. By 1970, he had become Professor and Chair of the newly independent Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; he served in this capacity until 1986. During this time, his work classifying and documenting the progression of diabetic retinopathy evolved into the Diabetic Retinopathy Study, a National Eye Institute-funded multi-center randomized clinical trial, which established photocoagulation as a very effective treatment for severe retinopathy. To facilitate this study, Dinny established the UW Fundus Photography Reading Center, which collaborated in many subsequent studies and continues to do so today.

In 1996, Dinny retired and was awarded Emeritus Faculty status where he continued to serve as a vital member of the department until his death. Most recently, he focused his efforts on developing The Davis Society, a philanthropic program that provides crucial support for the continued excellence of the teaching and research endeavors of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Please see:
https://www.med.wisc.edu/news-and-events/2018/march/remembering-matthew-dinsdale-davis/
for additional details on Dinny's professional contributions to the field of ophthalmology.

In addition to his illustrious professional career, Dinny spent considerable time donating to a diverse number of progressive organizations and political candidates, as well as to the University of Wisconsin. Travel with family, both in the context of professional meetings and for personal enjoyment, added richness to his life.

He is survived by wife Nancy, daughter Ann (Santiago), son Peter (Teresa), daughter Amelia (Galo), daughter Lisa (Greg) and grandchildren Allison (Paul) and Joshua. Other surviving family include Nancy's children: Kristen (Jim), Rik (Susan), Peter (Constance), and Christopher (Ulli); and grandchildren Kimberly (Tyler); Michael; Kelen; Forrest; Will; Ursula; Virgil; River; and great grandchild Victoria. He is also survived by many nephews and nieces.

Dinny was preceded in death by son Matthew, first wife Barbara, sisters Dixie Curkeet and Allie Heaney, and brother Jeff Davis.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to Cress Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in support of Randy Bryce for Congress, to a service or environmental organization of your choice, or to University of Wisconsin Foundation - Matthew D. Davis Chair Fund at https://www.supportuw.org/giveto/mddavis

Cress Funeral & Cremation Services
3610 Speedway Road
(608) 238-3434