JOHN A. DAVISON

JOHN A. DAVISON - SOUTH BURLINGTON - On Thursday April 26, 2012, John Amerpohl Davison passed away peacefully in Birchwood Terrace in Burlington, his daughter, Jenn, by his side, having only recently been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer on April 1, 2012. His acuity of mind was present to the very end. Born June 25, 1928, in Janesville, Wis., the son of Wilmarth and Grace Amerpohl Davison, John was destined for lifelong scholarship. After graduating from Janesville High School, he attended the University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota, where he pursued his love of science to achieve his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees. In 1957, he was awarded a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship at the Duke Marine Laboratory and in 1958, performed research as a Pfeiffer Fellow at Princeton University. John taught biology at Washington University, Louisiana State University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, before beginning his 30-year career as an associate professor of zoology at the University of Vermont. He viewed his greatest contribution as the publication of "Semi-meiosis as an Evolutionary Mechanism," in 1984, which professed a rebuttal for Darwinian evolutionary theory. John asked that his website: http://jadavison.wordpress.com, be mentioned for anyone who may be interested in his work, which he has also summarized at: http://www.uvm.edu/3/8jdavison/evolution.html. In his final weeks, John was very accepting of his illness, and easily let go of the fetters of this world. An ardent scientist, he had always sought the Truth, and it was now coming to him in a way he had not yet experienced: The Sisters of Life, Fr. Maurice Roy, Fr. John Nwagbaraocha, Fr. Timothy Sullivan, Fr. Ray Doherty, Sr. Marie Feely, Sr. Olive Lettre, Fr. Julian Asucan, and Fr. Bill Giroux, in divine concert, provided perfectly orchestrated spiritual care. John was very touched by them all. He also very much appreciated Drs. Foerg, Lesiak, and Menzies for "giving it to him straight," and the staff at Birchwood for never giving up on him. Though he was sometimes loud and direct, each of these people met John on a human level in a way which softened him and prepared him for his next great journey of scientific discovery. John had many interests, including his love for research and teaching, classical music, playing a good waltz on the piano or the accordion, fishing, camping and gardening - most often accompanied by his dogs. He was compelled to speak his mind and would often say, "I did it my way." John leaves his daughter, Jenn Smith of Burlington and her husband, Bill, and their four children; and his daughters, Diana Davison of Madison, Wis., and Debra Levine of Turin, Italy, and Debra's children, Andrea and Laura. John and his family wish to thank everyone who visited and ministered to him during his last three weeks at Fletcher Allen Health Care and Birchwood Terrace. John was very grateful for the peace and love he experienced during his last weeks. In the end, John found peace doing it another way. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, May 3, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mark Catholic Church in Burlington. Interment will follow in New Mount Calvary Cemetery in Burlington. There will be no visiting hours. Arrangements by the Ready Funeral and Cremation Service, 261 Shelburne Road in Burlington. Online condolences may be made to www.readyfuneral.com.