Jeff W. Davis

Jeff W. Davis

RAPID CITY - After a hard-fought battle with cancer, Jeffrey Wick Davis, 75 - husband, father, grandfather, brother, colleague, and friend - passed away peacefully on Monday, February 5, 2024 with his family by his side.

Jeff was a proud life-long Rapid City resident. He was born to Jay W. and Alice Anne (Wick) Davis on February 12, 1948. During summers of his early youth, the family would move up to the cabin on Rimrock Highway. Every morning Jeff would set out on Rapid Creek fishing until he was picked up at Pactola Dam on Highway 385 at the end of the day. He spoke of watching the Pactola Dam being built as a little boy. For many years, Jeff was the only local grandchild of four grandparents. He spent time at the National Cash Register Company where his Grandpa Wick was manager and at the Black Hills Power and Light Plant where his Grandpa Day was manager. (Early on, Jeff couldn't pronounce "Davis" so they were forever known as Grandpa and Grandma Day). He learned the craftsmanship of finish carpentry from Grandpa Wick and the art of fly fishing from Grandpa Day. Jeff accompanied his father, a heavy equipment salesman with Sheehan Equipment, on the roads across South Dakota. His dad would say, "Get us to Harding County by noon" and a 12-year-old Jeff was all too happy to comply. We assume that is where his lead foot came from. He would tell you, "It was a great growing up."

Eventually three siblings joined the Davis family: Char, Lenn, and Jayna. After the tragic early death of their father Jay in 1970, Jeff fell into the role of patriarch when his mother was left to raise a young family. This shaped both his personality as well as his relationships. He became the "go-to" guy that people could depend on both personally and professionally.

After graduating from Rapid City High School in 1966, Jeff attended South Dakota School of Mines and Technology for one year before transferring to the University of South Dakota (USD). He worked several summers at Homestake Gold Mine. While this taught him invaluable life lessons and paid for college, it also made him realize he wasn't cut out to be a mining engineer. Jeff then found his way into law school at USD. Between pheasant hunting and working long hours at Bimbo's, he graduated from law school in 1973.

Always loving the Black Hills, Jeff came home to Rapid City after law school. He worked as a law clerk for Judges Bottum and Parker and many hours were spent on the historic trials involving members of the American Indian Movement during the unrest of the early 1970s. He then joined the law firm of Sieler, Sieler & Trimble. In 1976, he was appointed as a part-time magistrate judge, and in 1979, Governor William J. Janklow appointed him as a circuit court judge, becoming the youngest on the bench at the time. He earned a reputation as a fair and capable judge. He was known for being an efficient manager of his schedule, handling thousands of cases through the years. At the time of his retirement in 2019, he was the longest-serving judge in the state.

Throughout his years of service to South Dakota, he was a member of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, chaired the Court Improvement Program and the Court Reporting Committee, served as Presiding Judge of the 7th Circuit, was elected president of the South Dakota Judges Association, and acted as a longstanding 7th Circuit Court liaison with Pennington County. In that role, he was integral in the planning and building of the addition to the Pennington County Courthouse and Jail in the late 1980s, and the further development of the Pennington County Courthouse Complex. Jeff was a wealth of information on anything historical pertaining to the Pennington County Courthouse. He was particularly delighted and appreciative when the Pennington County Buildings and Grounds crew took a special interest in his courtroom and restored it back to its original state. He took great pride in the finished project.

From an early age, Jeff loved all sports cars and particularly enjoyed cruising the Hills in his yellow '69 Corvette convertible. He was in his element grilling his famous pork ribs and putting on a good BBQ for friends and family. His favorite place was Pactola Lake: skiing on glass in the early mornings, boating with friends, hosting supper cruises on Roger, enjoying his status as a charter member of the Pactola Yacht Club and the Pactola Dockworkers' Union, and of course appreciating the beauty of the lake at sunset. He often joked, "I have wasted a lifetime at Pactola."

Jeff met Kathy Venekamp when she began as a new court reporter for the circuit in 1975. They were married in 1976 and enjoyed several years of carefree travels and adventures, most often accompanied by close friends Jack and Julie LaCroix. In 1985, daughter Megan was born, and their lives were forever changed. Meggie D., as he called her, became what he was most proud of in his life, above all his professional accomplishments.

When grandchildren Holland and Jennings were born, Jeff often said, "I wasn't sure how this grandpa business would go, but now I wish I could have done it sooner." He instilled a love of sunsets in his granddaughter and passed on a keen eye for cars to his grandson. One of his biggest regrets when he knew his time was getting short was that he would not be able to watch them grow up. It broke his heart knowing he was going to miss so much.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 48 years, Kathy; daughter Megan (Grant) Fankhauser of Phoenix, AZ; grandchildren Holland (4) and Jennings (2); sister Char (James) Nielsen of Harrisburg, SD; brother Lenn (Hillary) Davis of Rapid City; sister Jayna Davis of Bellevue, NE; and nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jay W. Davis; Alice Anne Davis-Snyder and Lester Snyder (stepfather); grandparents, J.W. "Bill" and Blanche Davis; E.E. "Ed" and Juanita Wick.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, February 23rd, 2024 at 5:30 PM in the Rotunda of the Pennington County Courthouse, First Floor, 315 St. Joseph Street, Rapid City, South Dakota. You may park in the courthouse parking lot and enter through the back door.

Jeff wanted us to "be sure and have a big shoot for everyone." Please join us at Hay Camp Brewery, 601 Kansas City Street, Rapid City, South Dakota for food and refreshments immediately following the courthouse service.

A memorial has been established in Jeff's name with Military Honor Flags USA, a local organization he was proud to be a part of. Each Memorial Day, they honor veterans by placing flags on every grave at the local national cemeteries. militaryhonorflagsusa.org

Jeff's online obituary and guestbook are available at www.osheimschmidt.com