James Edwin "Jim" Davis

1945 - 2007

James "Jim" Edwin Davis passed away Monday, Dec. 17, 2007, in Texarkana, Texas, at the age of 62 after a courageous battle with lung cancer.
Memorial service: 11 a.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church in Texarkana, Ark. Visitation: was held Wednesday at Texarkana Funeral Home, 3515 Texas Blvd., Texarkana, Texas.
Memorials: Please make donations to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73123-1718, 800-ACS-2345; or to the First United Methodist Church, 400 East 6th St., Texarkana, Ark. 71854, 870-772-6931.
Jim was born on Jan. 10, 1945, in McAlester, Okla., to Lewis Ward and Margaret Jane Lindblad Davis. Shortly after his birth, he and his family moved to Midland, where he graduated in the top 10 of the class of 1963 from Midland High School. He received an academic scholarship to Austin College in Sherman where he attended school for one year. He was a member of the Austin College tennis team and played trombone in the brass choir.
In 1964, Jim transferred to the University of Texas at Austin to participate in the Plan II honors program, and in 1967 received a B.A. in philosophy and economics. In 1969, he received a doctorate of jurisprudence from the University of Texas School of Law, where he was a member of Delta Theta Phi fraternity, a board member of Moot Court and a teaching Quizmaster.
On Aug. 12, 1967, Jim married Sunnye Susan Stegall in Houston. He started his legal practice in Austin, before moving to Texarkana in 1971, where he continued to practice law for 36 years.
Jim was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1969 and the State Bar of Arkansas in 1971. His court certifications included the U.S. District Court (E. Dist.) Texas, (E. and W. Dist.) Arkansas and (E. Dist.) Oklahoma, the U.S. Court of Appeals 5th, 8th and federal circuits, bankruptcy court and the U.S. Supreme Court. He was the public defender for Miller County, Ark., from 1978-1980. He was the vice president of the Arkansas American Civil Liberties Union from 1979-1985 and president from 1985-1988.
In 2005, he was recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for being among of a small group of Texas attorneys holding certification of special competence in the field of criminal law since the conception of the certification in 1975. He was a member of the first class that received the specialization and was certified through 2010.
In an article published by the Texarkana Gazette, he was described as an attorney who was a human rights advocate and was dedicated to help others and to "do something good."
He was a proud father to three sons, John Ward, was born in Austin on April 21, 1970, Alan Edwin was born in Texarkana on May 29, 1974, and Brian James was born in Texarkana on Jan. 8, 1979. He was a doting grandfather to Connor, Caitlyn, Preston and Nathan.
Jim had a passion for classical and jazz music, and played the trombone and piano. He was a member of the Second Time Around Band, the Texarkana Jazz Orchestra and performed in a number of community musicals. He enjoyed camping and fishing, and took pleasure in weekend retreats to his cabin in Hot Springs with his family and his dog, Gus.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors: His wife, Sunnye; son, Ward and wife, Christy, of Keller; son, Alan and wife, Stephanie, of Keller; son, Brian and wife, Kim, of Bryan; grandchildren, Connor, Caitlyn, Preston and Nathan; brother, Robert Davis and wife, Jeanine, of Austin; nephews, Michael and Daniel.