Jerry Davis
12-8-2019
Jerry Davis, 81, was born in Labette County, Kansas, on June 22, 1938, to Charles and Ethel (Blevins) Davis, and passed away in Stillwater, OK, on December 8, 2019. Following high school graduation, he attended Pittsburg State University in Kansas where he was active in theatre and music activities and was 1990 class president. He was also selected by the faculty as the 1960 Outstanding Senior Man. Jerry and Judy Chapman were married in Anderson, MO on August 14, 1960. They are the parents of two sons, Kelly (Lisa) and Kyle (Kate). Jerry served in the US Army Reserve, Medical Service Corps, after which he began teaching in Argentine High School in Kansas City, KS, and simultaneously worked on a master's degree at the University of Kansas. He later attended KU full time to work on a Ph.D. in Theatre, which was awarded in 1968. Prior to teaching at Oklahoma State University, Jerry taught at the University of Kansas and Illinois State University. Jerry moved through the faculty ranks at OSU, retiring in 1997 as professor and department head. He designed scenery and light for more than 100 productions as well as supervised numerous student designs. He also designed for the Lyric Theatre and the Oklahoma Theatre Center in Oklahoma City. Over the years, Jerry was also active in a number of national, regional, and state theatre associations and served in a leadership capacity in several. His efforts in these associations facilitated his receiving a number of awards. Jerry was predeceased by his parents, two brothers (Charles and Wayne), as well as a sister (Anita Friesen). He is survived by his wife, his two sons and their wives, two grandsons, and his sister Carol Berry (Bill), in addition to several nieces and nephews.