Dan Davis

Tupelo- Dan Davis, 61, passed away on March 28, 2025, after receiving serious injuries sustained in a hang-gliding accident at Lookout Mountain Flight Park near Trenton, GA. He was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on January 12, 1964 to Charles Lee Davis and Sharon Faye Bakker Davis Colton. Dan lived a life filled with faith, passion, service and adventure and was the best at showing us all how to live a life to the fullest.

Dan married his beloved wife, Jan, on May 9, 1987 in Iowa City, Iowa. Dan and Jan were able to adopt their two children, Shane Davis and Laura (Davis) Cooper early in their marriage.

After attending Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Dan continued his education at the University of Iowa, where he majored in math and music. He received his Juris Doctor Degree from the University Of Iowa College Of Law in December of 1988. After graduation from Law school, Dan had a desire to use his education to serve the needs of others. Through his church in Iowa he heard about the Tupelo Children's Mansion and in 1989 he and his wife Jan moved to Tupelo, MS. After passing the bar exam he opened a private practice focusing on family law and adoptions.

After completing the required number of adoptions, he was able to join the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys known as Quad A. He was then able to work with adoption agencies across the country, as well as the state's foster care system, to provide legal assistance for children in need of a forever family. As well as facilitating about 2000 adoptions over 36 years of law practice, Dan also served as Municipal Court Judge and as a public defender in Justice Court.

Dan loved all types of music from classical to jazz and blues. His love for music started with piano lessons as a young boy and later he learned to play the bassoon in concert band and was drum major and played the saxophone in marching band. While in high school, Dan won a statewide music scholarship called the Major Landers Scholarship. After graduation Dan used his talent to play piano and organ in church and saxophone in a local band. Most recently Dan enjoyed entertaining people every week with his piano playing at Weezie's Deli and Sweet Tea and Biscuits Café. Dan valued the friendships he made while playing piano, especially his friendships with the owners of the establishments Vivian Lee and Beverly Blaylock. Since Dan felt forced into having a tip jar, he decided to create and organize a scholarship fund with the money he earned as tips. He organized a music contest every year to select qualified seniors to earn scholarships to be used at their chosen colleges in the fall. Because this year's contest had to be cancelled, there will be a chance for donations to be made to the Create Foundation for the Dan Davis Music Scholarship in the spring of 2026.

Dan loved flying anything from a kite to an airplane. He had flown his hang-glider hundreds of times over the past 30 years, including once in Mexico. In 2010 Dan obtained his airplane pilot's license after attending ground school and receiving instructions from his friend and mentor, Roger Tubbs. There Dan received top honors in Roger's class on the art of proper map folding.

Dan was a member of the Tupelo Running Club and over the years ran in 4 marathons, and 2 Half-Ironman Triathlons. He volunteered every year in the annual Tupelo Gum Tree 10k race to push a wheelchair for kids with disabilities. Most of all he looked forward to the weekly Saturday run with the "slow boys", Lin Joyner, Chris and Frank, where a wide range of topics were sure to be discussed.

Dan and Jan discovered ballroom dancing about 20 years ago when their close friend, Rubye Del Harden, opened the Dance Studio in Tupelo. It was there that they received dance lessons from their untiring instructors, Stephanie Munteanu, Robbie Greenwood and Tammy Wilson. After joining the Tupelo Ballroom Dance Club, Dan used his musical abilities to edit and compile playlists for the monthly dances.

Dan participated in many sports such as racquetball, golf and tennis but most of all he enjoyed time spent scuba diving and snorkeling in the ocean. As a PADI open water scuba diver, he traveled with Tom Velie to many diving sites including Belize, Cancun, Cozumel and Bonaire. Dan's favorite place to go diving was to the island of Bonaire where he took his wife, daughter and 6 nieces and nephews on an all-expenses paid diving trip.

Dan would be the first to admit he had too many hobbies but, after moving into a house with a beehive, he decided to take up beekeeping as well. Dan's goal was to keep friends and family supplied with free honey. This was done the same way with the figs that he harvested from the fig trees he planted at his office. Through his many hobbies, Dan brought beauty to the lives of those around him.

Dan's life had purpose and meaning and he left behind a legacy that will be cherished forever. His family hopes that his life will inspire others to continue to put good out into the world!

Dan is survived by his wife, Janice Ann Adrian "Jan" Davis; son, Shane Michael Davis (Christine) of Reno, NV; daughter, Laura Danae Davis Cooper (Allen) of Oxford, MS; grandchildren, Eli, Annaliese, Griffin, Lillian, and Sven Davis; Wesley, Ethan, Athena, and Angela Danielle Cooper; mother, Sharon Faye Bakker Davis Colton and step-mother, Deloris "Dee" Davis both of Cedar Rapids, IA; sisters, Karla Bicknese (Aaron) of Hawkeye, IA, Susie Bether of Escondido, CA; brother-in-law, Dr. Burton Ronald Adrian of Ankeny, Iowa; sister-in-law, Ronda McCutcheon of Maquoketa, IA; nieces and nephews, Joshua Bicknese (Hannah), Emily Steen (Tom), Jeremiah Bicknese, Gloria Bicknese, Rosanna Bether, Curtis Bether (Sherlyn), Valerie Bether, Nicholas Novak (Erin), Heidi Risley (Clint), Cassie Novak, Tonya Miller (Brian), Melanie Baker, Matthew Adrian, and Brian Adrian.

He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Lee Davis; stepfather, Luman Colton; granddaughter, Helena Davis; and his flight instructor, Hon. Roger M. Tubbs.

A celebration of life service will be held at 1PM on Friday, May 2 at The Orchard Church in Tupelo with Pastor Jay Carney officiating. Visitation will be held from 5-8PM on Thursday, May 1 at Mt. Vernon Chapel, 1716 McCullough Blvd. and from 11AM -service time on Friday, May 2 at The Orchard Church. You can visit mtvernonchapel.com to leave your condolences on his obituary page. Mt. Vernon Chapel is honored to be assisting the family during this time.

In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, 848 Adams Ave., Memphis TN 38103 or to the CREATE Foundation, C/O Dan Davis Music Scholarship, P.O. Box 1053, Tupelo, MS 38802.