James E. Jim Davis

James E. (Jim) Davis died Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at his residence in Augusta Georgia at the age of 88. A memorial service of worship will be held at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church in Augusta Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. with Dr. Timothy L. Owings and Rev. Matthew Henderson officiating. Burial will be private.

The former television newsman had been a resident of Augusta since 1956. He served as News Director of stations WRDW-TV, WJBF-TV, and WAGT-TV as well as anchor for daily newscasts at 6:00 and 1100 p.m. for thirty-five years. After retiring from television in 1986, he was named Vice President for Marketing and Public Relations with Georgia Federal Bank. From 1992 until 1995, he was Editor of Healthscope 2000.

Mr. Davis was born in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, the son of a Baptist minister. He attended high school in Spartanburg, South Carolina. His college was done at Southwestern, Memphis, Tennessee which is now Rhodes College, and East Tennessee State University in Johnson City.

He served aboard an amphibious gunboat in the U.S. Navy in World War II, seeing duty in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. He participated in the Okinawa campaign and also the Japanese occupation forces in 1945. He was discharged from the Navy in April, 1946.

Prior to coming to Augusta, Jim served radio stations in Spartanburg, Memphis, and Kingsport, Tennessee. In addition to his television work, he was a charter board member of the Georgia Association of Newscasters, serving as President. Among the organizations he served were the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, the Arthritis Foundation, and the March of Dimes. He was formerly a member of the Downtown Augusta Rotary Club and served a term as a Director of the Club. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow in 1986. Other recognitions he received included the Liberty Bell Award presented by the Augusta Bar Association, the Louis Harris Award from the Augusta West Rotary Club, Outstanding Editorial Writing from the Associated Press of Georgia, and the Service to Mankind Award from the Sertoma Club of Augusta. In 1982, he was honored by the Georgia State Senate with a resolution commending his accomplishments in broadcast journalism.

Jim served several terms as a member of the Board of Advisors for the School of Business, Augusta College. In addition, he served as a member of the Board of Visitors for Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina, and was later President of the Board.

Since his retirement, Jim served in a marketing capacity with the Augusta Opera Association. He has also been Master of Ceremonies for the Augusta Concert Band and served on the Board of Trustees of that organization. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art. Most recently he was a member of the Imperial Theater Board of Directors.

He began studying watercolor painting in 1999 and held his first show in 2000. This very successful show led to other commissions and sales. He subsequently had three other highly received shows of his paintings.

Jim was a Deacon, Elder, and Trustee of Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church in Augusta. He had formerly taught an adult Bible class for fourteen years. Among his more recent activities has been to organize the membership of the Lay Reader service for the Church. On November 11, 2012, the congregation of Reid Memorial bestowed on him the honorary title of Elder Emeritus. Jim also previously served as a member of the Committee on Radio, Television and Visual Aids for the Georgia Synod of the Presbyterian Church.

Jim is survived by his wife, Gerry Gosney Davis, and one stepson H. Woodrow Gosney of McAdenville, North Carolina. Mr. Davis was preceded in death by his stepson James W. Gosney. Also surviving is a sister, Mrs. C.G. Hopper of Monroe, North Carolina. Honorary pallbearers are the former employees of WJBF-TV and the Elders and Deacons of Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church.

The family has asked that memorials be made to the Building Fund of Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church, Augusta, Georgia.