John Kytle Davis

Beloved by generations of patients, orthopaedic surgeon John Kytle Davis, III, passed away in Denver on December 29, 2024. Dr. Davis, age 76, was born on the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. He was preceded in death by his parents John Kytle Davis, Jr. (U.S. Navy Commander Retired), Julia Ann Mobley and brother Robert Mobley Davis.

From Washington State he moved to Maryland, Alabama, Florida and Colorado Springs, where he attended and graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School. At Cheyenne Mountain he played football and baseball, and met his future wife, Debbie. He attended Vanderbilt University for his undergraduate degree and played Division I baseball for the Commodores (catcher). He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia. He returned to Colorado to continue his education with Fellowships in Pathology and Oncology at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, before beginning General Surgery and Orthopaedic Residencies at the University of Colorado. Dr. Davis was selected as Chief Orthopaedic Resident, with his Resident Coordinator remarking, “When I think of your spirit - your determination to be the best, to be out in front - you remind me of the famous racehorse Secretariat.” Upon completion of his Residencies, Children’s Hospital offered Dr. Davis a Fellowship in Pediatric Orthopaedics, which he applied toward his love of high school sports at Kent Denver - serving as Team Doctor for the football, hockey, lacrosse and baseball teams for over a decade. He served as Chairperson, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Porter Adventist Hospital and Swedish Medical Center and also as Assistant Chairperson of the Department of Surgery at Swedish Medical Center. Noted for his exceptional bedside manner and quality of care, Dr. Davis is remembered by thousands of appreciative patients. In his 40 years of practice, he was never late for a surgery, and demanded that all members of his medical team treat each other with utmost respect.

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Davis lived a full and active life. Golf was more a passion than a pursuit; of his many accomplishments, one of his fondest was co-designing a golf hole at the Denver Country Club with golf legend Ben Crenshaw. Other passions included flyfishing, pheasant hunting, local sports and Vanderbilt athletics. Dr. Davis was a leader in his community, serving on the Boards of the Kent Denver School, the Denver Country Club, the Wigwam Club and others.

Dr. Davis is survived by his wife of 53 years Deborah Enoch Davis; his sisters Julianne Stovall and Susan Smith; sons Justin Kytle (Suraya DeSorrento) and their daughter Whelan, and Christopher Matthew (Lauren) and their sons Charlie and Ford; as well as by several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers and consistent with Dr. Davis’s commitment to providing young people opportunities through athletics, memorial contributions may be made to Evans Scholars Foundation, a full tuition and housing college scholarship for high-achieving golf caddies with limited financial means. If interested, you can make a donation here.