Joseph Davies

1940 - 2024

Joseph (Jay) Davies
05/25/1940 - 09/16/2024
Joseph Morgan Davies (Jay) passed away on September 16, 2024, with his wife Maddy at his side. A dearly loved gentle man who served his God, Jay was a man of service, generosity, kindness, good humor, integrity, faith, and love. Friends and family will remember him as fun loving with a great sense of humor. He knew how to be a good friend, and he had many. His friends felt and experienced his love and care in the many ways he gave it.
Generous with his time, resources, energy and commitment to others, Jay cared deeply about giving to his community. Over the course of 3 decades at St. Ignatius Church, Jay faithfully served in various ministries, especially outreach groups like the St. Vincent de Paul Conference, OWLS (Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors), Shelter Meals, and Winter Ministries.
An enthusiastic and engaged student, Jay was a loyal supporter of the Fromm Institute. He regularly enrolled in classes each semester and was a cherished member of “The Lunch Bunch.” In addition, he enjoyed participating in his book group, both for what was read and for the friendships formed within that group.
Born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to Irene and Thomas Davies, Jay grew up in Maryland with two brothers and a sister. After attending UMBC, he spent time in the National Guard before joining Fieldcrest in NYC. Listening to him talk about his work, one clearly understood that connections and relationships were vital to his work life. He was deeply admired and loved by his colleagues, friends and family. Many of these relationships were life lasting. Jay and Maddy were married October 1985 and lived in New York’s Greenwich Village before moving to San Francisco in 1991.
Jay loved watching sports, any kind, any team, but none more that his beloved San Francisco Giants, Warriors, 49’ers and hometown Baltimore Orioles and Ravens. What fun it was to join him in his living room and pull for a team while drinking a Mel’s strawberry milkshake.
Jay battled serious and debilitating health challenges over the past few years, and he fought hard with courage and determination. In May 2024, Jay and Maddy made a pilgrimage to Lourdes as guests of the Order of Malta. They spoke of the deep meaning this pilgrimage held for them and their profound gratitude for all they experienced. Throughout Jay’s health battles, he was reminded by his friends and family of how much he was loved. We are comforted knowing he is now reunited with his parents, brothers Tom, Jr and Jon, friends and dearly loved cats, Winston and Edwina.
He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Maddy, his sister, Doreen (Bill) Walker, nephew Grif (Michele) Davies, brother-in-law Gene (Diane) Hahn, nieces Liz (Kevin) Green, Kathy (Daniel) Koblitz, grand-nephews Aidan Green and Jonathan Davies, in addition to a multitude of family and friends who will miss him deeply while holding on to cherished memories.
A service celebrating his life will be held at 1:00pm on Sunday October 27, 2024, at St. Ignatius Church. Memorials in Jay’s memory would be welcomed by the St. Ignatius Parish Fund, 650 Parker Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94118; The Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94117; the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 7899, San Francisco, CA 94120-7899; or the American Red Cross, 431 18th Street, Washington, DC 20006.