Jimmy Paul Davis, Sr.

Jimmy Paul Davis, Sr., 78, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 18, 2025 at home while surrounded by his loving family under the care of Hospice of South Georgia.

Jimmy was born on June 1, 1947 to the late Albert and Lois Beasley Davis.   He spent his early years in Brunswick before relocating to Vidalia and eventually settling in Wayne County where he has been for more than fifty years.  In his early years, before moving to Jesup, Jimmy worked as a painter with his late father, flawlessly hand lettering on business windows, signs and buildings.  After moving to Wayne County, he and his mother operated Davis Grocery, a mercantile store located in the old school building in McKinnon. He made many memories there and was heavy hearted when he sold the building to care for his ailing mother in 1982. In 2020, Jimmy joyfully repurchased the old building with a dream of restoration and as luck would have it in 2021, he was reunited with his love from 54 years prior and they married.

Jimmy was sharp minded and could remember important dates, birthdates, anniversaries and death dates for loved ones and friends from many years prior. In addition, he had excellent mathematical skills and could calculate, within seconds, the cost of weight down to an ounce while never picking up a calculator or pencil. Every spring, Jimmy would buy a pickup truck full of Vidalia onions and give them to family, friends and city employees earning him the nickname "the onion man". During the recipient’s next interaction with him, he was always delighted to ask if they had made any onion rings as those were his favorite onion snack.

Jimmy never met a stranger and could talk the ears off of a donkey, especially when the conversation turned to old coins, old trucks and old times. Talking and connecting with people was one of his favorite pastimes along with eating creamed corn, ice cream and peaches. A true helper by nature, Jimmy could always be counted on if someone was in need. Before retiring from the Jesup City Water Department as a technician, Jimmy would pay past due invoices for families so that their children could bathe and have meals. Everyone that had the pleasure of meeting him, remembered him for his caring and sweet disposition.

In addition to his parents, Jimmy was preceded in death by brothers,  Billy Davis and Bobby Davis; sisters, Villa Gordon,  Alma Toler, Morrine Caraway, Mary Lou Gordon, Pauline Edwards, Lois Gillis and Viola Fuller; an adopted sister, Barbara Poppell and twin infant siblings .

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Wood Davis of Jesup; two sons, Jimmy Davis, Jr and wife, Katie of Jesup and Jason Davis and wife, Carrie of Pembroke; four stepsons, Gene Odom and wife, Cindy, Timmy Odom and wife, Becky, Gary Odom and wife, Stephanie and Michael Odom and wife, Angel all of Baxley and one sister, Margie Branham of Eulonia. A host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews also survive.

Visitation will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Monday, July 21, 2025 at Howard & Jones Funeral Home in Jesup.

Funeral services will be held  11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at Howard and Jones Funeral Home with Pastors Joseph Stewart and Michael Wilder officiating.

Interment will follow in Odum City Cemetery.

Active pallbearers will be his grandsons Brandan Davis, Trey Sellers, Daniel Fulghum and Cooper Fulghum.

Honorary pallbearers will be his stepsons.

"I have lived a good life. It wasn't always easy but it was a good one." -Jimmy Paul Davis, Sr.

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