James Robert "Jim Bob" Davis

James Robert "Jim Bob" Davis, 78, of Monroe County, passed peacefully, surrounded by family, after a lifetime defined by service, leadership, and hard work.

Born October 29, 1947, in Bloomington, Indiana, to William J. Davis and Agnes Blair Davis, Jim Bob grew up in Monroe County and graduated from Edgewood High School. On July 17, 1966, he married Linda M. Johnston, and together they built a life centered on family, faith, and community. Jim Bob proudly served his country in the United States Army during the Vietnam War with Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. He was promoted to Sergeant and awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with four Bronze Service Stars, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. In 1971, he joined the Ellettsville Fire Department, beginning more than four decades of leadership in public safety. He became Ellettsville's first full-time paid Fire Chief in 1983 and guided the department through decades of growth and modernization. Under his leadership, emergency services expanded significantly, staffing and equipment improved, and response capabilities increased to meet the needs of a growing community. He helped secure station expansion, improved ambulance coverage for the town, and oversaw construction of the new fire station in 2004. Following his tenure as Fire Chief, he continued serving the Town of Ellettsville as its first Town Manager, helping oversee major community projects, including the construction of the Town Hall that now bears his name.

Beyond public service, Jim Bob was a lifelong farmer and was well respected in the local agricultural community. He took pride in the land he worked and the livestock he raised, managing over 100 head of cattle at the height of his farming years and producing thousands of bales annually - a reflection of the work ethic that defined his life. Above all, he believed in showing up, taking responsibility, and doing the job right. He loved his family deeply and was proud of the generations that followed him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William J. Davis and Agnes Blair Davis; his beloved wife, Linda M. Davis; and his sister, Karen Sue Baxter.

He is survived by his children, Craig William Davis (Kelly Ellett Davis), Kelly Anne Davis, and Courtney Marie Bogle (Jacob Bogle); his grandchildren, Sarah Elizabeth Dawn Davis (Hutchens), Austin James Lee Davis, Ethan Bogle, James Bogle, and Cameron Bogle; and his great-granddaughters, Natanya Hutchens and Sabine Hutchens, along with extended family, friends, firefighters, and community members whose lives he touched.

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 1:00 pm at Chandler Funeral Home in Ellettsville. He will be laid to rest at Valhalla Memory Gardens following the services. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Sunday from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm and then again on Monday from 11:00 am until time of services.