Elizabeth Hunt Davis Mazzocco

1958 – 2014

Amherst, Elizabeth Hunt Davis Mazzocco died Wednesday afternoon, Sept 24, 2014, at Bay State Medical Center in Springfield, MA. She was born February 11, 1958, in Chapel Hill, NC to Betty Hunt Seeger Davis and Bertran E Davis. Following several moves during her childhood, the family settled in Commerce, TX where she graduated from high school and earned the recognition of Valedictorian for the class of 1976. She received her B.A. in English and History from East Texas State University in 1980. In 1983 she received her M.A. in Medieval Studies, and in 1988 her Ph.D. in Italian Studies, both from Bryn Mawr College. She married Angelo Mazzocco on October 7, 1990.

After receiving her PhD she taught Italian at the University of Pennsylvania (1988-89), and at Mt. Holyoke College (1989-90); in 1990 she was appointed Five College Visiting Assistant Professor of Italian and Director of the Five College Foreign Language Resource Center. She was tenured and promoted to the rank of Five College Associate Prof. of Italian in 2000 , and to full Professor in 2004 while continuing in her role of the now called Five College Center for the Study of World Language. Under her directorship the Center gained worldwide recognition for research on the advancement of language pedagogy.

She has published extensively and given numerous lectures on foreign language acquisition and on Italian Renaissance. She was currently developing a platform for blended learning for languages eventually intended for public use.

Elizabeth was a unique blend of generosity, determination, strength and tenacity, always guided by the most genuine selflessness.

She is proceeded in death by her parents and survived by her husband, Angelo, Amherst, MA, step-son Marco Mazzocco, New York City, sister Sally Hunt Faires and husband Jim, Dallas, TX, niece Annabella Boatwright,  Northampton MA,  nephew Ben Boatwright, Cambridge, MA and numerous relatives, friends, and colleagues. Visitation will be at Douglass Funeral Home, Amherst, MA, Monday afternoon Sept. 29 from 2-4:30 followed by a memorial service at 5:30 at Johnson Chapel on the Amherst College campus. Interment will be at Wildwood Cemetery, Amherst, MA, Tuesday at 11:00 am.  Donations may be made to the Elizabeth HD Mazzocco memorial fund to be established to honor her legacy in teaching and scholarship. Inquiries should be addressed to Lucia Miller, Dean’s Office, College of Humanities and Fine Arts (luciam@admin.umass.edu). Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.