Dr. John Davis, Jr.

Dr. John Davis, Jr. passed away Wednesday afternoon, January 23rd, 2002, at
McCrite Retirement Community. Born May 14, 1916, in Topeka, Kansas, as the
only son of John and Juanita Davis, John was a graduate of the Topeka Public
School System, Washburn University, and the University of Southern
California School of Optometry.

As a young optometrist, he was elected to two terms as President of the
Kansas Optometric Association; the youngest to ever lead the State
Association. He fulfilled a desire to visit every member of the KOA (Kansas
Optometric Association) during his term of office. Dr. Davis continued his
dedication by serving as Secretary-Treasurer for eight years, and remained a
member of the Board of Directors for another 20 years. John Davis retired
his Optometric practice December of 1986.
In 1969, Dr. Davis was named both Kansas and the American Optometric
Association's "Optometrist of the Year." In 1971 at the International
Contact Lens Congress in Buenos Aires, he was recognized as one of the
"World's Seven Most Distinguished Contact Lens Members."

Also, in 1971, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry gave him the
"Great State Award" in the individual category. Sports Magazine, in 1972,
gave Dr. Davis their annual "Sports Service Award" for a lifetime of
dedicated sports leadership and community service. The Topeka Cosmopolitan
Club twice named him "Man of the Year, and in 1969, he was named
"International Cosmopolitan of the Year"; an honor from all of the clubs in
Canada, Mexico, and the USA.

He formed the Topeka Cosmo Jr. Olympic Track Team and led the Cosmos to 18
consecutive State titles, plus 20 years of volunteer work with the Topeka
Cosmo Baseball program. The Cosmo Women's Track and Cross-Country teams won
42 regional indoor and outdoor meets. They placed in the top five in four
National outdoor meets, winning the Chicago Indoor in 1959, and the Women's
Junior National outdoor meet in 1968.

Because of his interest, skill and dedication in working with girls and young
women, Dr. Davis gained national prominence. He was named to the US Women's
Track and Field Olympic Committee for 1964, 1968, and 1972 Olympic Games. At
the International level, he was Chief of Mission, Head Coach, and Assistant
Coach of seven US International Track and Field Teams; the highlight coming
in 1969, when he lead the US to the only victory ever, to date, over the
Russian Women's team. In 1993, Dr. Davis was inducted into the AAU "Hall of
Fame" in Louisville, Kentucky.

He was also honored as Referee of the Kansas Relays, The Texas Southern
Relays, Albuquerque Indoor Meet, the Men's National Decathlon, the Women's
National Pentathlon, the Women's National Cross-Country Meet, as well as the
National Men and Women's Junior Track and Field Championships.

In 1968, Dr. Davis was named by the National Jr. Chamber of Commerce as one
of Twelve Outstanding Fitness Leaders in the United States; honored at the
White House by President Lyndon Johnson as a Member of the President's
Council on Physical Fitness.

The Southern California School of Optometry awarded John their "Alumnus of
the Year" in 1981, for his longtime dedication to the Optometric profession.
And in 1982, the Topeka 20/30 Club presented him the Missouri Valley AAU
Basketball Award for his unselfish work with youth in the Community, State,
and Nation. In 1984, the US Women's Track and Field Committee gave him the
Joseph Roobichaux Award in San Diego for his 20 years of dedicated coaching
and administrative work for Women's Track and Field.

Throughout his adult life, John Davis remained a loyal member of the Phi
Delta Theta fraternity; receiving the Raymond L. Gardner Award as "National
Alumnus of the Year" at a reception in Washington, DC, 1969. Additionally,
he served his fraternity for 52 years, under seven editors, as Sports Editor
of the national fraternity publication, The Scroll. In 1984 at New Orleans,
Phi Delta Theta gave him "The Legion of Merit" for his dedication to the
fraternity publication.

As an inductee to the Topeka High School Hall of Fame, as well as the
Washburn University Athletic Hall of Fame, Dr. Davis' ties to his alma maters
remained strong and steadfast throughout his life.

Dr. Davis was both a Life and Honorary Member of the Kansas Optometric
Association and a member of the American Optometric Association. He also was
a member of the Topeka Cosmopolitan Club, the Washburn Alumni Association,
and the University of Southern California Alumni Association. And, an Active
Eagle Scout with his troop at First Baptist Church, where he was a member for
over 70 years.

John Davis married Virginia Hankins September 27, 1940, in Castleton, Kansas. She preceded him in death in August, 1992, after 52 years of marriage.
Survivors include three daughters: Dr. Barbara D. Murray (husband, Will) of
Spokane, WA., Jody Miller (husband, Douglas) of Fayette, MO and Heber
Springs, AR, and Mary D. VanBergen (husband, Bob) or Springfield, IL.
Additionally, three grandchildren; Chrys Miller Sullivan (husband, Brian) of
Kansas City, MO., Bradley Miller of Columbia, MO, and John D. Phifer, of
Springfield, IL; a sophomore at Washburn University.

Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Cremation is
planned.
Visitation to be at Penwell-Gabel, 1321 S.W. 10th Street, Topeka, on Monday
evening, January 28th, 6:00 - 8:00 pm. The memorial service will be at First
Baptist Church, 3033 S.W. MacVicar, Topeka, on Tuesday, January 29th, at
11:00 am.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church.