University Mourns Retired English Professor James Davis

Dr. James Davis

The Ohio University community mourns Dr. James E. Davis, retired professor and chair of English, who passed away on Jan. 8, according to his obituary.

Professor Davis received B.A. and M.A. degrees from Morehead State University and taught English at MSU and in high school for eleven years. He did further graduate work at the University of Iowa and the University of Kentucky before completing his Ph.D. degree at Florida State University. He also received an honorary doctor of letters degree at Morehead State University in 1998. Other accomplishments include Chair of the Department of English at Ohio University (1978-1983), founder and President of the Southeastern Ohio Council of Teachers of English, President of the Ohio Council of Teachers of English, and President of the National Council of Teachers of English.

Dr. Davis published well over three hundred articles and chapters in books and has given presentations around the country on such subjects as intellectual freedom, censorship, and the importance of language and literature. He edited and co-edited a number of books and co-authored PRESENTING WILLIAM SLEATOR with his wife, Hazel K. Davis. He passed his love of teaching down to his many students and to his children and grandchildren. His son Christopher taught English for 30 years in Troy, OH and granddaughter Irene currently teaches English at Athens High School.

Read his obituary.