Retired Judge Richard L. Davis
Lead Summary
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Retired Judge Richard L. Davis, 93, of Hillsboro, passed away Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018, at his residence.
Judge Davis was born in Hamilton on Sept. 30, 1924, the son of the late Ralph and Edith (Driscoll) Davis. He was also preceded in death by his paternal uncle and aunt, Jess and Sally Griffith, who raised him from infancy.
Judge Davis was a 1942 graduate from Hillsboro High School, where he was student body president and a captain of the basketball and football squads. He then graduated from The Ohio State University with a business degree and a Juris Doctor of Law degree in six years. He was a member of the OSU Basketball team that won the Big Ten Championship in 1944 and made it to the Final Four in 1944 and 1945. His team picture still hangs in St. John Arena. He was a member of the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity and a lifetime member of the Sigma Chi social fraternity.
Judge Davis was Highland County Probate and Juvenile Judge for 29 years. Prior to that, he was Prosecuting Attorney for 12 years. He was a recipient of the Superior Service Award from the Supreme Court of Ohio. His was one of the three juvenile court judges who participated in the drafting of The Four-Year Strategic Plan for Children’s Services in Ohio. He was a member of the Ohio Probate Judges Committee that drafted the new Standard Probate Forms approved by the Supreme Court of Ohio and still used today. He was the author of numerous published law articles including opinions published in the Ohio Official Reports and the Ohio Northern College of Law Journal.
He is a past president of the Hillsboro Rotary Club (receiving the Hillsboro Jaycees Distinguished Services Award), the Hillsboro Lions Club, HHS Alumni Club, HHS Athletic Boosters, Highland County Bar Association and SOGS. He was inducted into the HHS Athletes Hall of Fame in 2002. He served as chairman of the Highland County Children Services Board, Salvation Army and Crippled Children and Adults Society. He was the recipient of the Masonic Ohio Grand Lodge Community Service Award, was a 60-year member of Highland Lodge No. 38 Free and Accepted Masons and was a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite member of the Valley of Cincinnati. He was a lifelong member and former lay leader of the Hillsboro First United Methodist Church.
Judge married his high school sweetheart since eighth grade, Kathryn (Tolle) Davis on July 17, 1948. They were together 77 years (married 70 of those years). He is also survived by his beloved children, Hillsboro Recreation Director Bruce (Sally) Davis and local attorney Susan Davis (Steve) Thompson.
Besides his wife and children, Judge is also survived by his six grandchildren, Courtney (Erik) Swope, Tim (Tara) Davis, Allee (Kevin Curtis) Thompson, Jenny Davis, Erin Davis and Andrea Thompson; and by his great-grandchildren, Cooper and Quinn Swope, Tate, Tylee, Teagan and Tori Davis, Kamryn Asbury and Mason and Levi Platt. He is survived as well by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 1, 2018 at Thompson Funeral Home. A private service will be held at the convenience of the family with burial following at the Hillsboro Cemetery.
Donations can be made to Shaffer Park Baseball, P.O. Box 158, Hillsboro 45133 or Soles for Students, LLC, 107 Governor Foraker Place, Hillsboro 45133.
To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.thompsonfuneralhomes.com.
Judge Davis was born in Hamilton on Sept. 30, 1924, the son of the late Ralph and Edith (Driscoll) Davis. He was also preceded in death by his paternal uncle and aunt, Jess and Sally Griffith, who raised him from infancy.
Judge Davis was a 1942 graduate from Hillsboro High School, where he was student body president and a captain of the basketball and football squads. He then graduated from The Ohio State University with a business degree and a Juris Doctor of Law degree in six years. He was a member of the OSU Basketball team that won the Big Ten Championship in 1944 and made it to the Final Four in 1944 and 1945. His team picture still hangs in St. John Arena. He was a member of the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity and a lifetime member of the Sigma Chi social fraternity.
Judge Davis was Highland County Probate and Juvenile Judge for 29 years. Prior to that, he was Prosecuting Attorney for 12 years. He was a recipient of the Superior Service Award from the Supreme Court of Ohio. His was one of the three juvenile court judges who participated in the drafting of The Four-Year Strategic Plan for Children’s Services in Ohio. He was a member of the Ohio Probate Judges Committee that drafted the new Standard Probate Forms approved by the Supreme Court of Ohio and still used today. He was the author of numerous published law articles including opinions published in the Ohio Official Reports and the Ohio Northern College of Law Journal.
He is a past president of the Hillsboro Rotary Club (receiving the Hillsboro Jaycees Distinguished Services Award), the Hillsboro Lions Club, HHS Alumni Club, HHS Athletic Boosters, Highland County Bar Association and SOGS. He was inducted into the HHS Athletes Hall of Fame in 2002. He served as chairman of the Highland County Children Services Board, Salvation Army and Crippled Children and Adults Society. He was the recipient of the Masonic Ohio Grand Lodge Community Service Award, was a 60-year member of Highland Lodge No. 38 Free and Accepted Masons and was a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite member of the Valley of Cincinnati. He was a lifelong member and former lay leader of the Hillsboro First United Methodist Church.
Judge married his high school sweetheart since eighth grade, Kathryn (Tolle) Davis on July 17, 1948. They were together 77 years (married 70 of those years). He is also survived by his beloved children, Hillsboro Recreation Director Bruce (Sally) Davis and local attorney Susan Davis (Steve) Thompson.
Besides his wife and children, Judge is also survived by his six grandchildren, Courtney (Erik) Swope, Tim (Tara) Davis, Allee (Kevin Curtis) Thompson, Jenny Davis, Erin Davis and Andrea Thompson; and by his great-grandchildren, Cooper and Quinn Swope, Tate, Tylee, Teagan and Tori Davis, Kamryn Asbury and Mason and Levi Platt. He is survived as well by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 1, 2018 at Thompson Funeral Home. A private service will be held at the convenience of the family with burial following at the Hillsboro Cemetery.
Donations can be made to Shaffer Park Baseball, P.O. Box 158, Hillsboro 45133 or Soles for Students, LLC, 107 Governor Foraker Place, Hillsboro 45133.
To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.thompsonfuneralhomes.com.