Robert "Lee" Davis

1928 - 2019

Robert "Lee" Davis

Jackson - Robert Lee Davis is now with his Father in heaven. He died at home on February 26, 2019. Visitation will be at 1:00 on Saturday in the parlor at Covenant Presbyterian Church with a memorial service following in the sanctuary at 2:30.

Lee was deeply devoted to his wife and children, and he was a loyal brother, uncle, and friend. He especially delighted in his two granddaughters, and all who knew him frequently saw their picture, which he always carried in his pocket.

Lee was born in New Orleans on July 12, 1928. He was the son of Bemiss North Davis and Hazel Pettit Davis. His father took him to Costa Rica at age 11, a trip that sparked his lifelong love of travel.

Lee graduated from Baylor School in Chattanooga in 1945. He earned a B.S. in civil engineering from L.S.U. in 1949 and a M.S. in soil mechanics in 1951 from Northwestern University. He was then drafted into the army and served in the Office of the Chief Engineers in Washington, D.C.

Lee's first job was with the engineering firm Skidmore, Owens, and Merrill for the reconstruction of Naha Harbor in Okinawa. After spending 18 months abroad, Lee returned to the U.S. via an around the world trip that took him to India and through the Suez Canal. Once home, he started work as a manufacturer's representative. In 1962 he founded College Suppliers with his brother, Berk, where they sold phonograph records to over 1,500 university and college bookstores.

On February 5, 1977, in what some may have considered a mid-life crisis, the 48 year old bachelor married Nancy Sue Vanderford. They had two children, Carey Pettit and Andrew Calder, and 42 wonderful years of marriage. Becoming a family man did not put a damper on Lee's travels, and his children became international travelers by the time they could walk. In total, Lee visited about 100 countries and was recently contemplating his next trip.

For the last 40 years Lee was an active member of Covenant Presbyterian Church where he served as a deacon and elder. He taught four-year olds in Sunday school and often dressed up as the Bible character for the day's lesson. He participated in many short term mission trips to Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Brazil, and Kenya. He was also the program chairman for the 3M's.

His hobbies, aside from travel, included tennis and duplicate bridge. He was an avid bridge player and nearing Ruby Life Master status.

Lee was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers George Bel Davis and Alfred Berkeley Davis, his brother-in-law Carey Patrick Vanderford, and his sister-in-law June McCarty Davis. He is survived by his wife Sue, daughter Carey Davis Bates (John), son Andrew Calder Davis, sister Helen Davis Morrison (Don) of Limon, CO, granddaughters Cecily and Miriam Bates, and many nieces and nephews.

The family has requested that donations be made to Covenant Presbyterian Church at 4000 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211 or French Camp Academy at One Fine Place, French Camp, MS 39745

Please visit lakewoodfuneralhomes.com for online guestbook.