Jay Davis Obituary

Jay Lanier "J.J." Davis, a man who had a warm smile and easily made friends, was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on May 31, 1962, the only son of Sgt. Jesse "J.D." Davis, Jr. and Edna Juanita Murray Davis, both of the U.S. Army. Jay grew up in Burlington, North Carolina, where he was educated in the Alamance County School System and graduated from Eastern Alamance High School. Jay earned his associate's degree from Alamance Community College in electrical engineering and his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Jay worked at Underwriters Laboratories in Durham, North Carolina, General Electric (now ABB) in Mebane, North Carolina, and Thermcraft, Inc. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Jay was baptized at First Baptist Church in Burlington, North Carolina, which he began attending at an early age. He was an excellent softball player, competing through the Burlington City Recreation Department's League. Jay loved music, playing chess and spending time with family and friends. He was a Duke Blue Devils fan and loved his A&T Aggies. Jay was known for wearing baseball caps and for his culinary skills. He often demonstrated his love for family and friends through scrumptious meals prepared inside the home or on the grill.
On September 30, 2023, Jay married the love of his life, Laurie Denise Willis. They met as teenagers while living barely two miles apart in the Bradley Street and Petersburg public housing complexes, respectively.
In addition to his wife of the home, Laurie, Jay is survived by daughters Whitney Davis of Stafford, Virginia; and Jasmin Davis of Kannapolis, North Carolina; his mother, Edna Juanita Davis of Mebane, North Carolina; a sister, Dr. Natasha L. Davis of Houghton, New York; a mother-in-law, Marie Willis of Whitsett, North Carolina; two brothers-in-law, Aaron Matthew Willis (Janice) of Whitsett, North Carolina, and Robert William Willis of High Point, North Carolina; two sisters-in-law, Teresa Ann Willis of Yonkers, New York; and Janice D. Stone (Eddie) of Graham, North Carolina; two paternal aunts, Ruthie B. Davis Cain and Ruby Stevenson of Clarksdale, Mississippi; two paternal uncles, Robert C. Davis of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and Samuel Davis of Helena, Arkansas, and a host of cousins and close friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Sgt. Jesse "J.D." Davis, Jr.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Jay Lanier Davis, please visit our floral store.