John Jefferson Davis

John Jefferson (Jeff) Davis was born on January 14, 1943, in Macon, GA ,to father John “Stooge” Wilson Davis (born in Valdosta, GA), and mother June “Bubbo” Loyselle Willis Davis (born in Live Oak, FL). Jeff’s father, a former University of Georgia football player, was a career youth football coach, beginning with his position at Boys High in Macon, GA. His commitment to teaching the game led the family to Rome, GA, and then to Jefferson, GA, where Jeff would excel at his endeavors as both a student and an athlete.

Jeff’s athletic abilities were apparent early on. He led his 1st grade football team to the Rome city championship with his mother as coach. Moving to Jefferson in 3rd grade, Jeff’s athletic feats grew. He was State Champion in high and low hurdles in his sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school; and on the State Champion 440 Relay team his senior year. He qualified for the States of Georgia and Alabama track championship in high and low hurdles. He was High School All America in football and played tailback, quarterback, split end, and safety. He starred in the Georgia State North-South Football game. He also played baseball and basketball for the Jefferson HS Dragons.

Besides participating in athletics, Jeff’s dad expected him to work, including jobs such as scraping paint off gutters, sprigging Bermuda grass, combining oats, mowing and stacking bails of hay, instructing golf and swimming at his dad’s summer day camp, and working in the Jefferson corduroy mill. Many recountings of these jobs are family lore.

Jeff received football scholarship offers from Clemson, Duke, The University of Georgia, University of South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Georgia Tech. He chose Georgia Tech and played for legendary Coach Bobby Dodd. During Jeff’s sophomore year he played running back and safety. Tech played #1 Alabama that season with Joe Namath at quarterback and Lee Roy Jordan also on the team. Jeff had 13 individual tackles, stopped an Alabama drive and played a critical role in holding Namath to a scant six points. Tech won 7 – 6. To the Tech faithful, the game is called the greatest game ever played on Grant Field. Jeff’s picture from this game is displayed in the George W. Matthews, Jr. Athletic Heritage Center at Tech.

Unfortunately, knee and shoulder injuries prevented a pro career. Upon graduation with a degree in Textiles Engineering, Jeff went to work for DuPont in Camden, SC where he worked in the Nylon and Orlon businesses. He was then transferred into DuPont’s Acrylics business, and thus began a series of promotions and moves starting with Newark, DE; then Landenberg and West Chester, PA, Memphis, TN (3 times), and Brussels, Belgium. From working shift work for seven years in the fibers businesses, to Imperial Chemical Industries, and the sale of the acrylics business to three successive private equity groups, Jeff finished his successful career as President of Lucite International, retiring in 2009. He and his wife, Cindy, then moved to Okatie, SC, in the lowcountry. After Jeff’s stroke in 2016, they moved to Dallas, to be near their son and his family.

Jeff is survived by his wife of 46 years, Cynthia (Cindy) Johnson Davis, of Norcross, GA; their son Allen Wilson, his wife, Mary Virginia, and their two children, John Wilson II and Georgia. Jeff has two children by a former marriage: John Jefferson Davis, Jr. and his wife, Rebekah, of Atlanta, GA and their daughter Leecy; and Leecy Davis Bowden, and her husband, Charlie, of Plant City, FL and their daughters Bailey and Lindsey.

Jeff had remarkable drive and went to the gym and driving range almost daily until recently, always striving to the best of his abilities. He was the epitome of his football coach dad’s favorite saying: “Bow your neck, drop your tail and drive with your legs.”

A Memorial Service will be held Friday, February 7, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. at the Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, 9800 Preston Rd., Dallas, TX 75230.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jeff’s name to: Alexander-Tharpe Fund, Georgia Tech Athletic Association, 150 Bobby Dodd Way, Atlanta, GA 30332-0455.