Jon Kingsley Davis

Jon Kingsley Davis 1929 ~ 2010 Jon Kingsley Davis, beloved husband, father, and friend, died after living a very full and interesting 81 years.Jon was born on November 2nd, 1929 in Muncie, Indiana to Arthur Woodworth Davis and Marion Ryan Davis. "Just in time for the Great Depression." He liked to joke. Jon would go on to do a great number of many interesting things with his life, like running off to join the merchant marines while only a teenager. Oh, to see the look on his father's face. Not long thereafter, he would go on to enlist in the U.S. Army. While serving, he used his high school German, and became a military intelligence analyst assigned to reading German newspapers during the Korean War. "Not a bad post." He'd say. Upon receiving his honorable discharge from the service, he would go on to earn his master's degree from Ball State in Muncie, and later his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the Ohio State University. All this, he'd say, "Was in spite of the fact that what I really wanted to become was an artist." Nevertheless, Jon would go on to become a well respected teacher and counselor teaching all around the country before finally settling in Salt Lake City. Having become a professor of education at the University of Utah, he would eventually meet a promising student who later would become his wife, Kathryn (Katie) Wadsworth. They would be married for over 36 years having two sons together, Matthew, and Collin Davis. They had many great adventures ranging from motorcycle trips to Yellowstone National Park, all the way to teaching overseas in Saudi Arabia, of all places. Together they traveled the world side by side. Even as Jon took his final trip into the great unknown, Katie was there holding his hand. Many years later, Jon also had the great honor of being reacquainted with his first son, Jeffrey Carroll, a relationship severed by a difficult divorce while Jon was just a young man. Needless to say, it has been a beautifully healing and much needed reunion for all. Jon would culminate his career as a school psychologist in Davis School District, working at Bountiful High School and Meadowbrook Elementary just to name a few. In his free time, he loved to paint, read, garden, and hang out with his good friends over a pint or two at his favorite pub, Squatter's. When he wasn't doing on of these things, chances are you might find him buying a new car, again. Jon is survived by his brother, Philip Townsend Davis, by his best friend and loving wife, Katie; and by his two loving sons, Jeffrey Carroll, and Matthew Davis. He was preceded in death by his parents and infant son Collin. Jon was a great man in that he would allow you to be yourself without judgment or prejudice, always encouraging you to be your best - unless of course he disagreed with your politics. We will miss his wisdom, his passion, his remarkable ability to listen and reflect with kindness and insight. Most of all, we will miss his sense of humor. One of the last things he would say was, "If you can't be nice, be funny." The family would like to thank the doctors and staff at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center for their care and constant kindness in his final days. We would also like to thank Jon's many wonderful friends from Squatter's whose love and support always kept his spirits high even until the every end. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you. Funeral services will be held at the Evans and Early Mortuary on 6th East and 1st South on Saturday, November 20th at 1:00 p.m. The family will receive visitors one hour prior to the service. Interment and graveside services will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park at 3401 South, Highland Drive immediately following the funeral.

Mortuary, Salt Lake City, UT.