Dr. John James Davis

Dr. John James Davis passed away on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, in the care of Grace Village Health Care in Winona Lake, Indiana at the age of 89. Beloved former professor and past president of Grace College & Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana.

He was born on October 13, 1936, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Catherine (Nicholls) Davis and John J. Davis. John married Carolyn A. Clark on June 28, 1958, and were blessed to share 67 years before John passed away. Together they enjoyed worshipping alongside their church family at Winona Lake Grace Church and also Dutchtown Bible Church of Warsaw.

Dr. Davis received a B.A. from Trinity College (Florida), M.Div. (with honors), Th.M., and Th.D. degrees from Grace Theological Seminary and earned his D.D. from Trinity College. He also had done his graduate studies at the Near East School of Archaeology in Jerusalem and post-doctoral study at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland under the auspices of Indiana University.

He served as professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Grace Theological Seminary for 39 years. During those years he also held the position of Executive Vice President for 6 years and President for 7 years of both Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary. John also served as Director of Admissions for the seminary for four years. Throughout his career he was able to teach as well as preach in 45 different countries. Twice he had been invited as a Staley Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecturer on college campuses and his Bible conference ministry took him to various parts of the U.S. each year. John also pastored churches in Tampa, Florida and South Whitley, Indiana and had spoken at many church sponsored wild game dinners around the country.

He participated in 13 archaeological expeditions to Jordan and Israel as a senior staff member. John had also participated in field excavations in Indiana and Illinois, in addition to survey work on temple mound sites in San Salvador, Central America. John served as a translator for the New International Version of the Bible and was a contributor to the study edition of that Bible. He also contributed to the study edition of the New American Standard Bible and the Christian Life Edition of the New King James Version of the Bible. Throughout his lifetime he authored 18 books and recorded 15 music CD's. He was a talented musician who played the guitar, plectrum banjo and baritone ukulele.

For seven years he was a play-by-play radio announcer for high school and college sports in addition to doing numerous telecasts. For approximately ten years, John was the color-commentator for the Fort Wayne Komets. He had a weekly column "Outdoor Scene" that appeared in the Warsaw Times Union in Warsaw, Indiana for 31 years. John had also written for regional outdoor magazines. He held memberships in a number of theological, archaeological and outdoor writing societies. He contributed articles to various books, dictionaries and journals, including: Harper's Bible Dictionary, The Higley Sunday School Commentary, The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia, The Evangelical Commentary, The New International Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology, Homan Bible Dictionary, Dictionary of Daily Life in Biblical & Post Biblical Antiquity, Holman Bible Dictionary, Dictionary of Daily Life in Biblical & Post Biblical Antiquity, Hermeneutics, Inerrancy The Bible, The Bulletin of the Near East Archaeology Society, The Grace Journal and several festschrifts.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Carolyn Davis (Winona Lake, IN); daughter, Deborah (John) Barr (Ecuador), two nephews, Brian W. (Amy) Davis (Ft. Wayne, IN); Kevin Alan (Melissa) Davis (Winter Garden, FL); four grand nephews and two grand nieces. He also leaves behind his brother, Robert P. Davis (Winona Lake, IN); sister-in-law, Laura Davis (Warsaw, IN); as well as cousins, Carol Nicholls (NJ) and Jane (Larry) Shaw (Fl). He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother Arthur W. Davis.

Family and friends may visit from 11:30 - 1:30 p.m. on Friday, February 13, 2026, at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana. Dr. Davis' life will be celebrated with a memorial service at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Grace Village Retirement Community - in The Chapel, 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, Indiana and officiated by Pastor Dave Robison. A private family graveside service will take place at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw, Indiana.

Memorial donations in Dr. Davis' memory may be directed to Grace College & Seminary, 1 Lancer Way, Winona Lake, IN 46590.