Obituary of John Robert Davis

John Robert Davis age 86, passed away at Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday, January 30, 2016 after a short illness. Born July 10, 1929 in Mattoon, Illinois to Merel and Marie Davis, he was raised in Kankakee, Illinois and Waterloo, Iowa. After graduating from West High School in Waterloo, he attended Iowa State Teachers College. From 1951-1954, he served in the U.S. Air Force where he developed an interest in medicine. Upon leaving from the USAF, earned a medical degree from the University of Iowa. He married Martha Jindrich in 1952 with whom he had three daughters. In 1967, he moved to Tucson, AZ where he was one of the founding faculty in the Department of Pathology at the University of Arizona's newly built College of Medicine. He retired from the faculty in 1999, but continued practicing pathology at the UA until 2008 and at the Veterans Administration from 2009-2010. He enjoyed spending time with family, playing tennis, camping, fishing, and vacationing on the Sea of Cortez. Survivors include former wife, Martha; daughters Mary, Laura, and Beth; grandchildren Katie, Annie, Jack, and Joe; and his dog Nell. John was preceded in death by sisters Marilynn and Elizabeth (Betty) and brother William (Ed). Donations in honor of John may be made to the University of Arizona Foundation/College of Medicine or the Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans, www.cedointercultural.org. Services were held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at the Adair Funeral Homes, Dodge Chapel, in Tucson. To express condolences visit the guestbook at www.Legacy.com/Tucson/obituaries.asp