James (“Jimmy”) Simon Davis
September 3, 1932 ~ November 12, 2024
Mr. James (“Jimmy”) Simon Davis, 92, passed away Tuesday, November 12, 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina. He was happily married to Barbara (Johnson) Davis for 66 years and 364 days before she passed away in 2023.
Mr. Davis was born on September 3, 1932 in Asheville, NC to the late Frank Addison Davis Sr., and Virginia Marion Williams Davis. He graduated from Lee Edwards High School in 1950. After graduating, he enlisted in the Navy and served his country during the Korean War from 1950-’54. During active duty service, he was an aviation machinist mate with Carrier Air Group Six aboard the USS Midway. In 1978 he joined the U.S. Navy Reserve and retired as a Yeoman First Class in 1995. Mr. Davis also attended Mars Hill College and was a Workers’ Compensation auditor and insurance inspector for forty years with Equifax.
He was a longtime member of Trinity United Methodist Church (he left a Baptist church to join the Methodist Church shortly after falling in love with his wife) and together they were members of the Mary Mann Sunday School class for over 60 years. Mr. Davis could often be found reading his Bible in the morning, and readily spoke of his faith and Christian upbringing.
Mr. Davis is survived by three children, Marcie Davis (Todd Winkler), Brian Davis (Libby), Sandra Smith (Tim); grandchildren Zachary Smith, Sara Reinecke Churchill (Tony), Essy Hatchett (Logan), Whitney Davis, Kara Smith (Austin Fowler), Ellen Reinecke Saleiro (Anthony Saleiro), Maggie Spratt (Ashton), Will Davis, Nick Davis, and Addison Davis; three great-grandchildren Simon Hayes Spratt, Arlo Dill Churchill, and Malcolm Ellis Spratt; brother and sister-in-law William (“Billy”) and Gail Davis (Sumter, SC), and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Davis was preceded in death by siblings, Frank A. Davis, Jr., Joseph B. Davis, and Frances Marian Davis Peacock.
Jimmy, aka Jim, Dad, Papa, Pop, Papooli, was known as funny and charming. He was a prodigious giver of nicknames (some of which cannot reasonably be placed in a newspaper), who enjoyed biking and golf (into his nineties), camping, travelling, serving the community with Boy Scout Troop 3, and singing everywhere he went, as well as in the church and Navy Reserve choirs.
He was singularly devoted to his wife and his family.
A celebration of life service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday November 16 at Trinity United Methodist Church, with his son Pastor Brian Davis, and Rev. Jeremy Morris officiating. A receiving of friends will be held at 1:00 p.m. before the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Dementia Partners AVL Inc., by mail to P.O. Box 17452 Asheville, NC 28816 or to Trinity United Methodist Church, 587 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806.
In closing: Pop, we promise to always take care of our hair.