Newington Obituary: John Davis, 88

John Humphrey Davis, 88, of Newington, passed away peacefully in his home on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at 7:30 a.m.

Born in Braintree, MA on February 2, 1928, the youngest son of Irvin and Florence Davis, Mr. Davis was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, teacher and friend.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon and daughters Rachael Davis, of New Britain, and Susan Silva and her husband David, of CA, and granddaughter Grace Sharon.

Mr. Davis played the French horn professionally and was formerly with the Berkshire Festival Orchestra and the New Hampshire Symphony. He held two degrees from Boston University. He was First Horn for 14 years with the Birmingham Symphony. While in Birmingham, he was awarded "Teacher of the Year" and the "Civitan Award for outstanding Service to Youth".

Before coming to Connecticut, Mr. Davis was professor of horn at Kansas State University in Emporia, KS. He directed the brass choir and the KSU Horn Ensemble, and he was a member of the Mid-America Woodwind Quintet. Formerly a Resource Teacher for the Hartford Public Schools, Mr. Davis taught horn and was a member of the New Haven Symphony for 29 years. He played with many orchestras including the Wallingford Symphony, New Britain Symphony and Hartford Symphony. In addition, Mr. Davis taught at Choate in Wallingford and at CCSU as an adjunct professor.

Mr. Davis' passions encompassed a broad spectrum of interests. He was a prolific reader. He enjoyed music, theatre, art and gardening (vegetables only, not flowers). He was a world traveler, food connoisseur, and a staunch Democrat (Go Hillary 2016!) Finally, he was a devoted fan of the Red Sox, Patriots and the UConn Women's Basketball team.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lucy Robbins Wells Library, 95 Cedar Street, Newington, CT 06111 and/or the Friendship Service Center, 241 Arch St., New Britain, CT 06051.

A Memorial Service for John will be held at a later date. Newington Memorial Funeral Home, 20 Bonair Ave., Newington is serving the family.