Priscilla Ruth Davis Backman died peacefully at her home in North Calais, Vermont on May 8, 2015 surrounded by family. The daughter of Harold and Evangeline (Foster) Davis, Priscilla was born in Nashua, New Hampshire on Sept 24, 1922. Growing up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she attended Longfellow Grammar School and graduated from Cambridge High and Latin School in 1940. She went to Tufts College for 1 ½ years and transferred to Goddard College where she graduated in 1946. She was married in 1948 to Harold Backman and later divorced. The couple first lived in Lawrence, Massachusetts where she was active in organizing workers in the factories. In 1953 she and her husband were blacklisted by the FBI for their labor organizing and moved to the family homestead in Calais, VT. In 1960 the family moved to Northport, New York, then in 1965, back to Vermont. She worked at Goddard College establishing and organizing the off campus work term program. In 1975 she was employed with the State of Vermont's WIC program. She developed health issues related to life-long type 1 diabetes. She never let her disease get the better of her. Legally blind for 2 decades she was able to read with a magnifier. At her death, age 92, she was one of the oldest living diabetics in the country. In 1980, she moved to New York City where she volunteered at a homeless shelter, The Natural History Museum and the Botanical Gardens, as well as being a counselor at the Camp for the Blind in Rockland County, NY. In the mid-1990s, she returned to Calais, VT, where she enjoyed gathering and researching town history. She was also a life-long member of The Women's Relief Corp. in North Calais. Her return to Calais allowed her to continue her strong interests in gardening and birding. Priscilla is best known in her family and among friends as a strong anti-war activist. Because such a huge portion of the national budget is allocated to war and the manufacturing of arms for war she was a tax resistor. She loved the Foster Homestead Farm, which was settled by her ancestors, George and Polly Foster, who came from Massachusetts in the early 1800s. She was the family historian and has a bountiful collection of old photographs and extensive research of the family tree. Her brothers, Forest Davis of Calais and Arthur Davis of Edmonton, Canada, predecease Priscilla. She leaves 4 children, Peter and his wife Annie Christopher of North Calais, David and partner Joyce Jacques of Willsboro, NY, Joel and his wife Felicity of Maui Hawaii and Rachael of Calais as well as many grand children and great grand children. There will be a private family service at the Fairview cemetery followed by a public Memorial Reception May 23rd at 1p.m. at the Foster Homestead. Arrangements by Guare & Sons, www.guareandsons.com. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be sent to either Goddard College in Plainfield, VT 05667 or the Joslin Diabetes Center , 1 Joslin Place, suite 745, Boston, MA 02215