Paul M. Davis, Jr.

Paul McMillian Davis, Jr. (September 1, 1919 – February 12, 2007) was a distinguished orthopedic surgeon in Alexandria, the seat of Rapides Parish in central Louisiana, who wrote numerous instructional articles relating to his speciality which were published in the "Bulletin of Tulane University", the "Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society", the "Journal of Trauma", and the "Southern Medical Journal". He was a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery and the American College of Surgeons.

Davis was born and reared in Ruston, the seat of Lincoln Parish in north Louisiana, to Dr. Paul M. Davis, Sr., and the former Lilleymae Sentell (1895-1981). He earned his undergraduate degree from Louisiana Tech University (then Louisiana Polytechnic Institute) in Ruston. He obtained his medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans and did his orthopedic residency at Charity Hospital of New Orleans (popularly called "Big Charity"). He was on the staff at both Alexandria hospitals, Rapides Regional Medical Center (formerly the Baptist Hospital) and the Catholic-affiliated Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital. He served as clinical professor of orthopedics at Tulane Medical School.

Davis was a captain in the United States Army Medical Corps in the European theater of World War II, having served from 1944-1945. He also served in the Korean War and was awarded the Bronze Star by the Far East Command in 1953.

In 1951, Davis married the former Frances Bolton (born 1928), the younger daughter of Alexandria banker James Calderwood Bolton (1899-1974) and the former Frances Sample (1902-1986). Mrs. Davis was a niece of Robert Harvey Bolton (1908-2003), also an Alexandria banker-businessman.

He was a volunteer orthopedic consultant at Huey P. Long Medical Center, a charity hospital in Pineville, the Alexandria Veterans Administration Hospital, actually located in Pineville, and the Rapides Parish Handicapped Children’s Clinic in Alexandria. Davis was also a member of the Rapides Parish Emergency Medical Board.

Active in civic affairs, Davis was a former president of the Attakapas Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In 2005, the Louisiana Purchase Council of the Boy Scouts created the "Dr. & Mrs. Paul M. Davis Distinguished Citizen Award" which is presented annually. The Davises also supported RiverFest'06, a Louisiana cultural event held in the spring in Alexandria.

Dr. and Mrs. Davis have also been donors to the Republican Party, including the gubernatorial campaign of U.S. Representative Bobby Jindal of the New Orleans suburbs and the 2004 Republican congressional race of former State Representative Jock Scott of Alexandria.

Davis served actively in various capacities for the First United Methodist Church and was a board member of the Methodist Children’s Home orphanage in his hometown of Ruston. He was a board member of the former Rapides Bank and Trust Company owned by the Bolton family. Rapides Bank later became a part of Bank One Corporation. Davis was a member of the Kiwanis Club.

In 1990, the Davises ventured into the field of real estate and established "The Lake District", a multi-phase development located along Louisiana Highway 28 West, also known as the Leesville Highway.

Dr. Davis, who was retired from active medical practice, died at his residence. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Martha Davis Plummer of Bossier City, who was married to the late James B. Plummer, Jr., and Lilleybeth Davis Webb (1930-2007) of Colorado, an artist and the widow of Earl A. Webb. She died only fifteen days before the passing of her brother.

In addition to his wife Frances, he was survived by two sons, James Bolton Davis of Alexandria, and Paul M. Davis, III, and wife Beth of Atlanta, Georgia; one daughter, Frances Sentell Davis of Raleigh, North Carolina; and four grandchildren, Paul M. Davis, IV, Stephen Bolton Davis, James Stafford Davis, and Catherine Calderwood Davis.

Services were held on February 15, 2007, at Davis' First United Methodist Church in Alexandria, with Dr. Tim Neustifter officiating. Pallbearers were grandsons Paul Davis, IV, and Stephen Davis, nephews James B. Plummer, III, Kenneth Plummer, and Paul M. Plummer, and Dr. Cedric W. Lowrey of Alexandria. Burial was in Greenwood Memorial Park in Pineville.

The family requested that memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church, 2727 Jackson Street in Alexandria.

References

*http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070214/OBITUARIES/70213037/1023
*http://www.theriverfest.com/
*Lilleybeth Davis Webb obituary, "The Ruston Daily Leader", Ruston, Louisiana, February 1, 2007
*http://www.city-data.com/elec/elec-ALEXANDRIA-LA.html
*http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi?lastname=BOLTON&firstname=FRANCES&start=21