Jim Lee Davidson

Jim Davidson was born on January 31, 1951, at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, and spent the next seventy-four years proving that life is best lived with a good (often repeated) joke at the ready, a loyal dog at your feet, and an expensive putter in your hand.
He died December 18, 2025, after a long illness.
He was drafted, went to Vietnam, but when he came home, he didn't talk about it much. His generation rarely did.
Back stateside, Jim tried his hand at a few business ventures before discovering personal computers in 1981. He'd say he was a visionary, then admit he fell into it. Both were true. In the early 2000s, he was among the first to bring wireless internet to the Springfield area. He built a career keeping systems running and people connected and retired 2020 as the computer technician at Family Pharmacy.
Jim needed golf the way people need oxygen-necessary, constant, and non-negotiable. He played courses across the country, always looking for the next fairway, the next challenge, the next chance to shoot his age. He got close several times.
He was a student of history, particularly World War II, which he read about voraciously. A crossword guy and a trivia guy, he liked knowing the answers-all the answers. He was a traveler-by cruise ship, by RV, by whatever got him and his wife, Jeanne, to the next adventure. He was a dog lover-no, he was a dog spoiler, because otherwise, what would be the point?
Jim was preceded in death by his father, Virgil Davidson; his mother, Marian Friedhofen; his stepfather, Roderick Friedhofen; and his stepsister, Tonya Friedhofen.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne (née Kuehl); his son, Matthew (Damon) of Springfield; stepdaughters: Tracy Struck of Denison, Iowa, and Stephanie Sailer (Bounnak) of Kingston, Illinois; brothers: Steve Davidson (Linda) of Aurora, George "Bill" Davidson of Battlefield, Leroy Workman (Marsha) of Forsyth, and Kenneth Hall of Springfield; sister, Etta "Lori" Melton of Springfield; stepsister, Martaun Stockstill (Timothy) of Springfield; four grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.
He told good jokes. He kept the computers running. He never gave up a stroke he didn't have to.
Jim Lee Davidson was 74 years old. Not a bad run.
Jim will be inurned at Missouri Veteran's Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements and cremation are under the direction of Cremations of the Ozarks.