Lawrence Houston Davis

Lawrence Houston Davis passed away peacefully at his home in the Smyrna Community near Grand Cane, Louisiana on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at the age of 95. He was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas on August 18, 1929.

After graduating from Hot Springs High School in 1948, Lawrence earned undergraduate degrees in mathematics and chemistry from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana in 1953. He proudly served his country as a Sergeant in the United States Army from 1953 - 1956, stationed in Karlsruhe, Germany as a Party Chief Surveyor in a Field Artillery Observation Battalion. He returned to Northwestern in 1956 and graduated with a Masters degree in Mathematics in 1958. Lawrence then joined the mathematics faculty at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He later received National Science Foundation grants to study advanced mathematics at New Mexico State University and Florida State University and computer science at Texas A&M University. In 1976, he earned his Ph.D in Mathematics Education from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. At SLU, Lawrence advanced from instructor to Professor and then Department Head of Mathematics. He retired from Southeastern in 1991 and was honored as Professor and Department Head Emeritus in 1992. Following retirement after 33 years, Lawrence spent 17 years teaching mathematics at the NSU College of Nursing in Shreveport. He was a member and an Elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Hammond and Smyrna Presbyterian Church in Grand Cane. His interests included reading, exhibiting bantam cochins and hybridizing daylilies. He was a self-professed daylily addict.

Lawrence was married to Clarice Marie Tilleux, whom he first met when they were in college at Northwestern State University, in Natchitoches, Louisiana. They were married for 63 years until her passing in 2017. He is survived by their six children Diane Baringer (Dale), Paul (Susan), Lee, Martha Fontcuberta (Tom), Ellen, Thomas (Rachel), fifteen grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Lawrence was preceded in death by his loving wife, Marie, his parents, James Lee Davis and Rosie Leola Garrett, his sister Mary Catherine Davis Powell, his brothers, James Lee Davis, Jr. and George Lesley Davis, one grandchild, Mae Ellen Burke, and one great-grandchild, Stephen Lloyd Smith.

The Davis family extends their deepest gratitude to the compassionate caregivers whose kindness and dedication provided comfort and support during their dad’s final months, bringing peace and dignity to his passing.

The family invites you to a visitation on Saturday, June 14 from 2:00 - 5:00 at Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 943 Polk Street, Mansfield, Louisiana. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Children’s Cancer Fund.