Obituary: James C. (Jack) Davis

James C. (Jack) Davis, 83, died peacefully at home on Saturday, October 24, 2009. Jack was born in San Diego, Calif., on November 22, 1925, and attended elementary and secondary schools there. After high school, he joined the Merchant Marine during WWII. Following the War in 1950, he joined the Veterans College Program at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he received his bachelor of arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences. He played on the UNR championship football team, coached by Joe Sheeketski, from 1947 to 1949. He also lettered in boxing at UNR. After he graduated from college, he became one of the top athletic officials for high school sports in Northern Nevada.

Jack decided he would make his life's career in education. Because he was in the Army Reserve in 1953, he was called into service for the Korean War and served nine months. His assignment was in Item Company 180th Infantry, Korea. Jack was one of 12 men out of 200 who returned from the battle of Pork Chop Hill. The company commander was killed in the battle and Jack served as the new company commander until his tour of duty was over. His commanding general recommended him for the Silver Star, but it never materialized.

Upon his return to civilian life in Battle Mountain, Nev., he became principal of the elementary school there. During his work at Stanford on his masters and doctorate degrees in education, he credited his true understanding of an educational administrator and teacher to his experience in Battle Mountain. While principal there, he discovered that the entire children's Native American population was being taught in a dilapidated segregated facility. He had the separation terminated and all the children entered into the white school. This was the late 1950s.

Jack became the principal of Fallon High School in 1958 and then became superintendent of the Unified Churchill County School District. He received his masters from Stanford University in 1955 and his doctorate in 1963. He was professor of education at the University of Nevada, Reno and taught in the College of Education for seven years. He was also the founder of the Research and Educational Planning Center.

Jack was offered the job as founding president of the still, unbuilt, Western Nevada Community College in Carson City in 1972. During his presidency, he built extended WNCC rural colleges in Fallon, Gardnerville and Elko. He was Western Nevada Community College president from 1972 to1983, when he retired. After retirement, he became director of the Western Nevada Development District, providing infrastructure for the eastern part of Carson City.

In 1978, he was appointed by the governor to the Nevada Athletic Commission. He was the executive vice president of the World Boxing Council and founded the North American Boxing Federation, where he served as president from 1981 to 1982.

In 2004, Jack was honored by having the observatory on the Western Nevada College campus dedicated in his name; the Jack C. Davis Observatory.

Jack is survived by his wife, Mary and their three children, Susan Davis, Maria Davis Denzler (Mark), and Greg Davis (Sharlene), and four grandchildren, Allison, Katelyn, Natalie, and Jack.

A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 7 in the Sarah Winnemucca Room in the Aspen building on the Western Nevada College campus in Carson City.

Donations can be sent to the Jack C. Davis Scholarship Fund at Western Nevada College, 2201 W. College Parkway, Carson City, NV 89703.