Sierra Madre Edition - Volume 11 No. 41 - Walking Sierra Madre: The Social Side

Sep 19, 2026

Sierra Madre Edition includes the life verse and tribute for John Davis, describing his passing after pneumonia and a virulent lung infection, his long marriage, and the kindness that shaped family and community relationships. The editorial recounts his devotion to faith, service to homeless neighbors, and the “Jabez Group” Sunday school impact. It also recalls his education, engineering work, radio career, and memorial service details with World Vision donation information.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Walking Sierra Madre - The Social Side

Remembering John Davis

Life verse and conduct code (Micah 6:8)

John’s life, faith, and community service

Education and radio career

Life in Sierra Madre

Memorial service and donations

SIERRA MADRE EDITION ~~ SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017 ~~ VOLUME 11 NO. 41 Walking Sierra Madre…The Social Side REMEMBERING JOHN DAVIS by Deanne Davis “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”Michah 6:8 That, friends and neighbors, was the life verse and conduct code of my best friend, my walking buddy, my oatmeal cookie aficionado, my Dancing With The Stars critique partner and the one and only love of my life, John Davis. John left us Monday morning, October 9th at about 6:30 a.m. as a result of complications of pneumonia coupled with a virulent lung infection that none of us can figure out how on earth he encountered such a thing. Some years ago when our oldest grandson, Michael, wasborn,ItookourTexas daughter, Crissy, who was then 8 years old, with me and we flew to Connecticut where our daughter, Leah, was living... small side trip here... we loved seeing pictures of pregnant Leah scraping snow off her windshield while wearing sandals. You can take the girl out of California but you can’t take the California out of the girl! Anyway, I wrote John a note and told him then,“You are the other half of my heart.” That never changed. We have been married 50 years as of last April 1st and while I am walking and talking and doing all the things that one has to do at this sort of time, I am doing it with half of my heart. So many people, hundreds actually and that’s not exaggerating, have sent me notes on Facebook and other places telling me how John changed their lives and loved them unconditionally. He was, literally, the kindest, dearest person I’ve ever known. John did things like taking my hand, looking deep into my eyes, when I was in my late 30’s and saying,“It’s really important to me that you floss!” “Fine,” I said,“I’ll floss.” Now it’s habitual. He did the same thing to our daughter, Patti, made her promise she’dfloss for a year. John was a gentle soul who loved serving breakfast to the homeless of Pasadena at Church in the Park with Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene. He was in charge of grits and of telling people how happy he was to see them and just generally being a sweet and loving guy. One of the happiest times of his life, mine too, was when we taught the young singles Sunday school class at church. We started with four girls who were in their early twenties and eventually we had over 30. The Jabez Group. How we loved them and how they loved him. Many marriages and babies have come out of that group of young singles. They speak of him and the advice he gave, always solid, always loving. John was born in the California Hospital in Los Angeles on June 16, 1933. His parents, Jay and Leila, supported him in whatever he needed todo, including drilling holes in the walls to rewire certain areas to work the way he wanted them to. Of course, he also let me paint our kitchen bright orange and yellow and our bathroom bright yellow and green without complaining. He attended USC where he received his Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1955 and his Master’s in Engineering in 1959. He loved the radio business and did technical work for so many stations. In fact, he loved radio so much that we built and owned our own radio station, KROR-FM, The Mighty Roar of the Desert from 1988-1994 when we got out by the skin of our teeth. We always referred to our radio years as,“The Best of Times and The Worst of Times!” He also hosted folk music radio programs starting in the 1950’s on the first FM station in Los Angeles, KCBH-FM and later on KPFK-FM, “Heartfelt Music.” This song,“My Baby’s Gone,” he played so many times came to me when I knew he was gone:“Hold back the rushing minutes, make the wind lie still. Don’t let the moonlight shine across the lonely hill. Dry all the raindrops, and hold back the sun. My world has ended, my baby’s gone” John loved Sierra Madre. When we were going to get married in 1967,

FAQs

Who is being remembered in this edition, and what happened?

The edition remembers John Davis. It describes his death on the morning of October 9, following complications of pneumonia and a severe lung infection.

What role did faith and scripture play in the tribute?

The tribute centers on Micah 6:8 as John’s life verse and emphasizes his devotion to God, prayer, and reading scripture including the 23rd Psalm during his final days.

What community activities does the document highlight about John Davis?

It highlights serving breakfast to the homeless at Church in the Park, hosting and teaching in Sunday school for young singles, and the advice and love he gave through the “Jabez Group.”

When and where is John Davis’s memorial service, and what donations are suggested?

The memorial service is Saturday, November 4 at 1:00 p.m. at First Church of the Nazarene in Pasadena. In lieu of flowers, donations to World Vision’s Clean Water Project are suggested.

Sep 19, 2026

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