Joe Leonard Davis born April 5, 1942, in Texas, died on August 20, 2024, at 82 years in his Port Townsend home. He is survived by his sisters Helen Sutton (Ken Sutton), Carole Davis (Brud Joslin), Kim Davis-Rogers (John Rogers), niece Dobbs Sutton, nephew Mathew Sutton, grandnephews Troy Roman and Sebastian Roman. Joe is pre-decreased by his parents (Hugh and Melba Davis from Shaw Island, Redmond and Seattle, Washington). He loved us all in his own unique ways and left friends in Seattle and Port Townsend, many from his dance, swim and Spanish-speaking circles.
Joe initially studied at Princeton University, his father’s and uncles’ alma mater. In the early 60s, he transferred to the University of Washington where he graduated in 1965 with a degree in Political Science. During these years, he interned with his uncle Chester Davis, an attorney, whom the New York Times wrote was one of the most influential aides of Howard Hughes, the reclusive billionaire industrialist.
Always with a big zest for life, learning, and culture, Joe spent 7 years in the Peace Corps in Chile, and recently - 50 years later, inquired about continuing education at Princeton.
After the Peace Corps, Joe was a Spanish language interpreter and active in the Northwest Translators and Interpreters Society, which he wrote was an international, grassroots, citizen-lobby dedicated to reducing poverty. Joe last traveled internationally to Nicaragua in 2018 with Port Townsend local Brent Butler, just in time to experience upheaval from Nicaragua's first major protests against Ortega. Nonetheless, he swam and danced throughout the trip. Earlier in his life, Joe enjoyed tennis, skiing, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding and windsurfing.
Despite challenges, Joe had a huge heart, repeatedly offered help and continued dancing until his last days. For sure, he followed the beat of a different drummer, and had a very unique loving spirit. One thing for sure, there will never be another Joe Davis…he provided the Davis family with plenty of entertainment and stories for our whole lives…and no doubt his Port Townsend friends too. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a skating rink of your choice. A gathering will be held in his memory at 2PM on November 22, 2024, at Haley House, 1071 Landes Court behind Safeway. For further information, please write to Brent Butler: bbutler@uw.edu
