J.T. Davis, the Paris High Wildcats Golf Coach who led the Fighting Wildcats to 5 State Championships and spent 37 years in the Paris High School Athletic Department died June 5, 2016. He was 79. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, June 10, 2016 at the First Baptist Church of Paris with Rev. Ken Cannon and Rev. Paul Duncan of Granbury officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8-00 PM Thursday evening at the funeral home. Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.
Davis had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for over 15 years, and finally lost his battle to be with The Lord.
He was born in Paris, Texas November 22, 1936. He attended Graham School as a boy and then went on to graduate from Paris High School in 1955.
Davis was a standout high school football and baseball player at Paris High School being named First Team All-State in Football (1954) and Baseball (1955) the following spring. He was the starting left fielder for the 1955 Paris High School State Championship Baseball Team that beat Abilene High School in the Championship.
Davis went on to attend Southern Methodist University (SMU) in the fall of 1955 on a football scholarship. Davis played with NFL Greats Don Meredith and Forest Gregg, during his time at SMU as well as Paris High greats Frank & Charlie Jackson. But, most importantly, Davis played with his best friend and high school teammate Larry Click while at SMU. He played under NFL Great Hank Stram when Stram was an SMU assistant coach. Davis ultimately graduated from SMU in 1960 and became the Executive Director of the Compton Citadel Boys Club in Dallas, Texas. He remained there until 1961 when he was hired by Raymond Berry, Sr. to come back to Paris and join the coaching staff at Paris ISD.
He met fellow SMU classmate and future “Love of his Life” Karol Hargis (aka: “Wonderful One”) in the fall of 1956. They both graduated from SMU in the spring of 1960 and were married in December of that same year.
In addition to the 5 State Championships, Davis led his teams to 15 District Championships and 9 Regional Championships. In the 1980’s Davis was instrumental in forming the Texas High School Golf Coaches Association which has grown to be a driving force in the high school golf ranks in North Texas. Suffice it to say that Davis was also an outstanding teacher in the classroom during his 37 years in the Paris ISD system. He touched the lives of so many young people and he adored his profession.
Davis spent over 40 years serving the community of Paris in the Noon Optimist Club of Paris where he was heavily involved in the Paris Optimist Auction. He served on the Board of Directors at the Boys & Girls Club of Paris and was inducted into their Wall-of-Honor in 1996. He coached countless little league baseball teams, pee wee football teams, and youth basketball teams. For most of his life, Davis was a member of The First Baptist Church of Paris, Texas and the last several years was a member of Mambrino Baptist Church of Granbury. Davis was also a longtime member of The Paris Golf & Country Club where spent his free time playing golf and gin rummy with his closest friends.
Davis spent 15+ years as the Tournament Director of his namesake golf tournament in Paris Texas: “The J.T. Davis Golf Tournament.” The tournament benefits the Paris Education Foundation (PEF) which is a non-profit organization that was established to award scholarships to Paris ISD graduating seniors and to provide financial support to Paris ISD teachers who wish to attend workshops and other continuing education seminars. The J.T. Davis Tournament just finished up its 25th year and has raised over $1,000,000 in its 25 years of existence.
The last 9 years of Davis’ life, he lived in Granbury, Texas with Karol where he spent the final days surrounded by his son John Mark, daughter-in-law Molly and his grandchildren who he loved and adored. Davis’ love and passion for the Paris Wildcats, SMU Mustangs, and Dallas Cowboys never wavered even in his final days.
Davis was preceded in death by his father Roy Davis, mother Faye Davis, and his oldest son Jeff Davis. Davis is survived by Karol Davis, his wife of 55 years; a son, John Mark Davis and his wife, Molly Davis of Granbury; grandsons Justin Davis of Paris, Cole Davis of Granbury, and Zane Davis of Granbury; granddaughter Jessica Davis of Plano; and great-granddaughter, Jamie also of Plano; brothers Royce Davis and his wife, Kathy, and Newt Davis and his wife, Anna; and sister Janice Westbrook and her husband, Pete. Davis also had numerous nephews and nieces.
Pallbearers will be John Saffle, Joey Temple, Gary Ensey, Greg Ensey, Kirk Kyle, Dr. Mike Russell, Mark Dees, and Mike Bass. Asked to serve as honorary pallbearers are Bryan Pierce, Cliff Smallwood, Kevin Dillen, Walt Reep, Gary Young, Mitchell Cole, Kirk Dillen, Randall Lewis, Cade Stone, Andy Carr, Jason Guest, and Bailey Gant.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Boys & Girls Club of Paris, Texas (parisbgc.org;) Paris Education Foundation (Pariseducationfoundation.com;) and the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org).
