Christina “Tina” Stenborg-Davies passed from this world on January 8, 2020, after a long illness with cancer. Wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, British aristocrat, Viking goddess, shield-maiden, animal lover, scholar, historian, proud luddite, story teller, and adventurer, she was born in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England, and was raised on a 17th century farm in the village of Speldhurst, in Kent.

From an early age, Tina fell in love with the nature and historic buildings of the Kentish countryside. Throughout her life she retained a passion for walking in nature. Her early years were filled with social gatherings centered on horse racing and fox hunting, and was therefore a great fan of horse racing in Ferndale at the Humboldt County fair. She went to boarding school at age 11 at Cobham Hall, an historic building that dates to the 12th century, where she made lifelong friends, and snuck off for midnight feasts in the old dungeons beneath the school. Tina loved to adventure and travel. She went to rainbow gatherings in Wales, was chased by bandits in Morocco, skied in the Swiss Alps, and swam and sunbathed in Sweden. Tina was also the coolest person ever; she once declined an opportunity to go riding with Prince Charles because the Rolling Stones were playing in London. She was that kind of cool.

Her biggest travel-adventure of all landed her on the west coast, where she fell in love with Humboldt County and discovered natural beauty that rivaled the Kentish countryside of her youth. It was here that she made her life between Honeydew and Arcata, relishing the beauty of the Mattole Valley and the quiet calm of the redwoods. Her first home in the US was in Honeydew, where she was a special part of the greater Honeydew family. She felt a lifetime connection to the people and place that is Honeydew, and made some of her closest and most enduring friendships during her time there. Swimming in the Mattole, hiking in the mountains, and bringing her special mothering gift to all the children of the tribe was something that meant the world to Tina and gave her enormous joy.

She later moved to Arcata and met Scott Davies, the love of her life. They fell wildly in love, instantly and passionately, and spent 27 years devoted to each other and raising their 4 children. They vowed on their wedding day to serve each other in devotion and care, and spent the better part of three decades wrapped in and lifted by each other’s unwavering love. Theirs was a rare and enduring marriage, something they both knew and were grateful for, every single day.

Tina’s star shone brightest when her love was focused on her family, and she spent more than 30 years homeschooling her 4 children, instilling in them a love of learning and the values she held most dear. She showed us the meaning of unconditional love every day, and her passing leaves a ragged hole in our lives as wide as the universe of her love. A deeply devoted wife and selfless mother, Tina made every moment brighter with her love and wit. Tina embodied all of the qualities that make the world’s best mother. Endless patience, selfless love, a tireless work ethic, and that rarest quality of empathy that allowed her to connect with children on their level. She was pure magic, and children followed her like the Pied Piper.

She loved to read, and those of us who were luckiest got to listen to her read to us in her posh and polished English accent. We were transported by her readings of everything from Romantic poetry and historical nonfiction to the children’s books she loved most. Many of you will remember her reading TinTin, Rupert Bear, Asterix and Obelisk and stories by Enid Blyton like the Famous Five. To hear her read was to travel to another world with Tina as your guide.

She is survived by: her husband - Scott Davies, her children – Elysia Ciarabellini, EmmaLea Stenborg-Davies, Westleigh Stenborg-Davies, and Serena Stenborg-Davies, her son-in-law – Dustin Ciarabellini, her in-laws – Robert & Cathy Davies, Martha & Robert Haynes, Jonathan Davies & Pia Alabastro, Nieces – Bronwyn Alabastro & Eleanor Alabastro, Jess Godden, Grandchildren - Christina Ciarabellini & Charlie Ciarabellini, and sister – Charlotte Stenborg.

Most of all, we remember Tina as having the gift and heart to make all of us feel extraordinarily special. We are gathering to celebrate the amazing woman she was and the love she left us with on February 8th from 2-5 p.m. at the Bayside Community Center. In lieu of flowers, please bring a donation to Hospice of Humboldt. If you knew Tina or would like to offer support to her family, please join us at her celebration of life.