Dr. Henry Gordon Davis Jr.

Dr. Henry Gordon Davis, Jr., M.D., 104, of Sylvester, died on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at his residence. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at the First Baptist Church of Sylvester. Interment will follow in the Hillcrest Cemetery. Dr. Ben Bush and Rev. Donnie Duncan will officiate.

Born in Sylvester, GA in 1919, he was the son of Henry Gordon Davis, Sr. and Lillie Elizabeth Wingate Davis, both deceased. He was a 1941 graduate of the University of Georgia with a BS degree. He then studied at the University of Georgia School of Medicine, now Medical College of Georgia and received his Medical Degree in 1945. He married Francis Marion Salisbury on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 1941, in North Augusta, SC. He served two years in the US Army (1946 to 1948) following his medical school internship. He practiced family medicine in Sylvester from 1948 until his retirement in 1995; he delivered 3465 babies including two of his daughters and six grandchildren. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Sylvester.

Professional and Civic Memberships: Medical Association of Georgia (MAG), American Medical Association, Worth County Medical Society, Second District Medical Society, Southern Medical Association, American Society of Abdominal Surgeons, Charter member and Fellow American Academy of General Practice and American Academy of Family Physicians (lifetime member), Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP), Joint Board of Family Practice, Georgia State Board of Human Resources, Alumni Association of the Medical College of Georgia, Medical College of Georgia Foundation, American Geriatric Society, American Medical Directors Association, American College of Nursing Home Administrators, Medical Examiner for Worth County and Early County, Sylvester Kiwanis Club, Sylvester-Worth County Chamber of Commerce, Albany/Dougherty County Chamber of Commerce, Sylvester Banking Company and Security Bank and Trust Company (Albany) Boards of Directors, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Worth County Tourism Association, UGA Alumni Association Life Member, Margaret Jones Public Library and Darton College Foundation Board of Trustees, Worth County Board of Education, licensed Nursing Home Administrator

Awards received: 1980 Distinguished Service Award (GAFP); 1982 Family Physician of the Year Award (MAG); 1982 Service Award (Kiwanis); 1993 Distinguished Alumnus Award (MCG, School of Medicine); 1993 Outstanding Achievement Award (Rotary Club); 1995 President's Award; 2013 Life Time Achievement Award (Kiwanis); 2005 Inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

Dr. Davis realized a need in the community to care for the elderly and infirm who were no longer able to care for themselves. He first built Georgia Care, Inc (now Pruitt Health Sylvester) in 1964, Georgia Care of Tifton, Inc (now Rehabilitation Center of South Georgia) followed in 1966 and Georgia Care of Albany, Inc (now Pruitt Health-Albany) in 1967.

Philanthropy: Established the H. Gordon Davis, Jr. and Francis S. Davis Foundation awarding scholarships to deserving high school graduates who are residents of Worth County; H.G. Davis, Jr. and Francis S. Davis Scholarship Endowment Fund with MCG Foundation for Southwest Georgia Medical Students; H. Gordon Davis Nursing Scholarship at ABAC; established the H. Gordon and Francis S. Davis SOAR (Student Organization Achievement and Recognition) Awards celebrating accomplishments of UGA Student Organizations. He was a generous donor to multiple civic, religious, and community organizations.

He was an avid Georgia Bulldog football fan attending home and away games regularly since before Vince Dooly was head coach until 2017. He was a season ticket holder for over 60 years.

Survivors include his children, Henry Gordon Davis, III (Anne), Francis Marion "Monie" Moody (Doug), Margaret "Peggy" Davis Harris, Barbara "Babs" Davis Alley (Condy); grandchildren, Gordon "Bo" Davis, IV, Lauren Mathie (Cameron), Catherine Davis, Bobby Moody (Sherri), Lee Moody (Tracy), Wendy Gustin (Bill), Elizabeth Green (Bryan), Michelle "Missy" Johnson (Dave), Henry Marion "Rusty" Harris (Felise), Kim Capo (Jay), William Jeter (Nykola), Eli McCrory (Katy), J. Gordon McCrory (Rachel), Stuart McCrory (Rebecca); great-grandchildren, Davis and Madison Moody, Lily and David Johnson, Maggie and Abbey Harris, Nicole Weaver, Alex Capo, Kaleb Thompson, Dawson and Marlee Green, Leo and Elena Mathie, Davis and Edison McCrory, Oliver McCrory, Charles "Chipper" McCrory; great-great-grandchildren, Peyton and Milena Weaver, Amelia Capo; and a host of nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Francis Marion Salisbury Davis, his siblings, Vernita, Will H., Albert, Agnes, Helen, and Lillian "Sister" and son-in-law, Buddy Harris.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Banks Funeral Home.

Please sign our online guest registry at www.banksfh.com.

Banks Funeral Home in Sylvester is in charge of arrangements.