DAVIS, Grier: 1922-1996

DAVIS, ENGLE, RUPP, SWITZER

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 9/22/2013 at 15:31:39

The Fairfield Ledger
Wednesday, February 21, 1996

Grier Davis

Grier Davis, 73, a resident of New Mexico, former Fairfield resident, died Monday, Feb. 19, at his home.

The body has been cremated. At his request, no service is scheduled. The family will celebrate his life. Memorials may be made to United Way, Habitat for Humanity or Meals on Wheels.

Davis was born Aug. 15, 1922, in Sardis, Miss. He grew up in Mississippi and Louisiana, graduating from Baton Rouge High School in Baton Rouge, La., in 1939. He attended Southwestern in Memphis, Tenn., and Louisiana State University before entering the Army Air Corps. He was a B-26 bomber pilot and completed 56 missions in Europe during World War II. Following his discharge, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J. As a student at the Choir College, he was a member of the Westminster Choir under the direction of J.F. Williamson and the Westminster Symphonic Choir which performed with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. He sang under conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Bruno Walter, Charles Munch, Leopold Stokowski and others. He earned a Ph.D. in choral literature and performance at the University of Iowa.

He served churches in Wheeling, W.Va., Davenport, and Tulsa, Okla., as minister of music, often having up to 300 choristers a week under his direction. He directed many major choral works, among them Brahm's "German Requiem" and Mendelssohn's "Elijah" as part of his ministries. In 1960, he moved to college teaching and was on the faculties of Parsons College, John F. Kennedy College in Wahoo, Neb., and the University of Albuquerque in New Mexico. At the latter university, he taught the music portion in a team-taught humanities course that included philosophy, history, art and literature.

He served one year as minister of music at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque and for several years directed the choir at Albuquerque's First Congregational Church. He was music director for Albuquerque Music Theater's performance of "Man of La Mancha" and Albuquerque Civic Light Opera's performance of "My Fair Lady." When he retired from the University of Albuquerque, he began a career in home construction and built 20 homes in the Albuquerque area, most of them passive solar. He also was active in United Way, Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels in recent years.

Surviving are his wife of 50 years, Fay; five children, Karen Engle of Hanover, Pa., Donna Rupp of Mount Pleasant, Marilyn Switzer of Holton, Kan., Michael of Westminster, Colo., John of Placitas, N.M.; 14 grandchildren; three sisters; and a brother.

(Transcribed for genealogical purposes only. I am of no relation.)