Members of the Mercer community gathered for a memorial service in Toney Auditorium on Feb. 19 to honor the memory and legacy of Mercer University Provost and Professor of Chemistry D. Scott Davis, who passed away from an apparent heart attack on Feb. 9 at the age of 61.
As the memorial service began, all attendees received funeral programs and a small package of Davis's favorite candy, which included jelly beans, hot tamales and sour patch kids.
During the program, his daughter, Layne Davis '23, explained that these candies were her father's favorites. She noted that if you found Davis at a candy table, it was best not to speak to him because he was “focused on the candy and the candy alone.”
University minister Craig McMahon delivered opening and welcome remarks.
“We will laugh, we will cry, we will grieve, and we will be grateful. What we won't do is capture his life,” McMahan said. “His life was too large, too elusive, too frenetic and too freewheeling for us with our words to contain it all. Only Scott could do that.”
Throughout the service, terms such as love, family and commitment were used to describe Davis. Many speakers, including Mercer University's President Bill Underwood, came forward to share personal stories about their experiences with Davis.
"I would often turn to Scott during our discussions. His thoughts on various issues were frequently sought after, and the question, 'What do you think, Scott?' may have been the most commonly asked during our meetings,” Underwood said.
Family members who spoke included Davis's daughter, Layne Davis ‘23, Miller Ann Davis and remarks by his son Ryan Davis. They shared heartfelt memories of their father, reminiscing about his humor and playful attempts to embarrass them.
"My one rule was that if I went there, Dad had to act like he didn't know me. I wanted to make friends on my own without interference, and I knew exactly what lengths dad would go to, to embarrass me,” Layne Davis reminisced. “Although, shortly after, roles quickly became reversed, and my dad was having to ask me to leave his office due to the amount of time I spent in there.”
“Some people would say my dad could be crude and somewhat uninterested, but this was all a facade. My dad has so much empathy in his heart that he had to use his tough exterior to protect himself and his emotions,” Miller Ann Davis remarked.
During the memorial service, a slideshow presentation featured images of Davis’s life with his family and his career. As the auditorium watched, No Hard Feelings by The Avett Brothers played in the background, a song chosen for its deep significance to Davis.
“He was an amazing music connoisseur and loved all genres, and he had a favorite. It seemed not so long ago, he quipped ‘I want this to be played at my funeral,’” McMahan said.
John Wilson Gordon '14, the Director of Operations for the Stetson-Hatcher School of Business, shared with attendees that he and a few other men always spent the weekend playing golf with Davis.
“We're so thankful and blessed that we got to play golf his last weekend with us on this earth, and we will treasure and cherish those moments forever,” Gordon said.
Remarks were also shared outside of the ceremony by friends and colleagues of Davis. Vice Provost Keith E. Howard, a longtime friend, reflected on his 20-year relationship with Davis in a statement to The Cluster:
“Dr. Davis was among the first people I met when I started at Mercer twenty years ago. I worked closely with him in the Provost’s office during the last ten years. I was reluctant to do administrative work, but Scott connected the work to ever-improving students’ education and experiences. Scott Davis was a duality. He was one of the smartest and cleverest persons you would ever meet but he approached problems from a levelheaded common-sense perspective. He worked hard and long hours with distant travel between campuses and to other institutions, yet he found time for family and golf. He was serious, but with a roasting dig at himself and his colleagues. He challenged you, but mostly because he wanted to be challenged. Where the duality ends is with his love. He loved his family, he loved Mercer, and he loved students.”
The program closed with a musical performance of Goin’ Home by Antonin Dvorak and the service ended with a benediction by McMahon.
To conclude the event, a family visitation was held in Newton Hall. In lieu of flowers, contributions were encouraged to the D. Scott Davis Memorial Fund at Mercer.
Memorial gifts may be made online, by mail to Mercer University, Office of University Advancement, 1501 Mercer University Drive, Macon, GA 31207 (note Davis Memorial Fund on check); or by phone at (478) 301-2715.
Alisha Mitchell '26 is majoring in Journalism and Political Science at Mercer University. She is a part of the Student Government Association and works for Mercer’s Undergraduate Admissions office. Alisha is highly involved on campus and loves writing for The Cluster. When she isn't writing or working, she enjoys sitting outside in nature or thrifting with friends.
