George R. Davis
LOWVILLE — George R. Davis, Retired Judge and Former Town Historian, dies at 91.
George Robert Davis died peacefully at his home on February 6, at age 91, of natural causes. He was born in Utica, NY on October 2, 1918, the oldest child and only son of Katherine W. and Leon A. Davis. He moved to Lowville at the age of two when his father became principal of Lowville Academy.
He is a graduate of Lowville Academy (1935), Deerfield Academy (1936), Middlebury College (1940) and Syracuse Law School (1948). He enlisted in the Army and served in the Pacific Theatre during World War II attaining the rank of Captain.
He worked as an Assistant State Attorney General from 1950-1952. After that, he practiced with the Cross law firm in Utica before moving back to Lowville in 1955, as corporate counsel for Beaverite in Beaver Falls. In 1958, he married Joan Lynch Reed, mother of Tim and Mary Reed. In 1959, he became Lewis County District Attorney, a position he held until he was elected County, Surrogate and Family Court Judge in 1962. He served for twenty years, retiring on January 1, 1983.
He had a life-long love for Lowville and its history. Following his retirement from the bench, he continued to pursue his interest in local history. He was Town Historian for 18 years. He served on the Board of the Lewis County Historical Society for many years and later as President. He wrote numerous articles about local history over the years. He served on the Lowville Rural Cemetery Board and worked for many summers restoring old cemeteries and gravestones. He was active in the Lowville Academy Alumni and Friends Association and a member of the Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks.
In his last five years at home, he studied for and passed his Amateur Radio License joining the Black River Amateur Radio Club. During this time, he was the first recipient of the Lewis County Peace Prize and Honorary Chairman of the Lowville Academy Bicentennial. He believed he was the last surviving member of the Lowville Band.
He is survived by a daughter Mary Reed Earl and her husband Edward D. Earl of Clinton, NY. He has two grandsons: George Robert Earl and his wife Dominika of Saranac Lake, NY and Samuel Earl of Clinton, NY, as well as two great-grandsons: Augustus Franklin Earl and John Douglas Earl, children of Dominika and George Earl.
He is also survived by a sister Katherine Davis Potts of Warminister, PA, two nieces: Karen Siracusa and her husband Robert, of Princeton, NJ and Jane van der Wouden and her husband Huub of Bilthoven, Netherlands and by his three grandnieces: Juliana and Justina Siracusa, Katie van der Wouden and by a grand nephew Paul Siracusa. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews on the Lynch and Reed sides of the family.
He is predeceased by his wife Joan and a son Timothy Miller Reed.
He was a member of the Lowville American Legion Post #162, Lowville Elks Lodge #1605, V.F.W. Lewis County Memorial Post #6912 and the Lowville Masonic Temple #134. He never missed marching and later riding in the Memorial Day Parade.
He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where he was ordained an Elder in 1964 and served as a Trustee.
Calling hours will be held on Thursday, February 11, 2009, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Sundquist Funeral Home, 7676 State Street, Lowville, NY 13367.
Funeral services will be at the First Presbyterian Church, Lowville at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 12th with Rev. Patricia Schick, officiating.
