James Davis

1943 - 2026

James Harry Davis passed away peacefully on January 26, 2026 in Austin, TX at the age of 82.

Jim was born on March 6, 1943 in Kittanning, Pennsylvania to Helen (Klingensmith) Davis and Wilbur H. Davis. He spent an idyllic, Norman Rockwell-like childhood in Ford City, PA, the likes of which may no longer exist. Over his many years, Jim enjoyed playing baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, cycling, golf and snow skiing. After he arrived in Austin in 1980 he joined the Austin Skiers and took countless ski trips with them, his favorite place being Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Jim graduated in 1965 from his beloved Penn State University, State College campus with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. His career as a mechanical engineer began with PPG (in Ford City, PA; Mt Vernon, OH and Wichita Falls, TX) and ended with Applied Materials in Austin, TX. Jim's retirement years were spent pondering, redesigning and implementing all things mechanical via ongoing home improvement projects - in between ski trips, happy hours with friends and visits to family in Ford City, PA. Jim and his sister, Nancy, were always very close and enjoyed meeting up in Ford City for family get-togethers. They both subscribed to the belief of "siblings by birth, friends by choice, together in spirit always".

Jim met his wife Laura in January 2008 and together they spent the next 18 years loving and supporting each other, trying to make up for lost time. They both realized and made no secret of how lucky they each were, their only disagreement being which one of them was the luckiest. They made many trips to Penn State during football season to attend the games, and on several occasions were able to stay at the Nittany Lion Inn, fulfilling a longtime wish of Jim's.

Jim's final years were spent battling Alzheimer's Disease, but he never lost his deep love for family and friends. Jim is preceded in death by his parents, Wilbur and Helen. He is survived by his wife Laura Stoneham Thompson, sister Nancy Rosenberg (Phillip) of McLean, VA, daughters Pam Hess and Tricia Galbraith (Jeff), and son Sean Davis of Mt. Vernon, OH, niece Kimberly Grubb (Chris) of Stafford, VA, grandchildren Dylan Hess, Lexie Olsen (Shane), Dustin Hess, Jordyn Kanode (Darin), Tyler Galbraith, Trace Galbraith and great-grandson Beckham Hess. He was also preceded in death by his official Best Friend from elementary school until retirement, Bob Beuth.

Special thanks go to each and every one of the staff of Watermark at Southpark Meadows Memory Care located in Austin, for their incredible love and support for Jim and for Laura over the last 6 months of Jim's life. There are too many to mention by name, but they each impacted the quality of life for Jim more than they even know, and for that we will always be grateful.

A private service to celebrate his life will be held at a later date.