John Franklin Davis

John Franklin Davis, 81, of Raleigh, died peacefully at WakeMed North Hospital on May 24, 2026. He was a beloved uncle, brother, and friend whose loss is felt deeply throughout his community.

John was born in Randolph County on July 14, 1944, to C. R. “Sam” Davis and Rebekah Kime Davis. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lee Tugwell Davis, his parents, sisters Linda Davis Kriegsman and Rebekah Davis Fitzgerald, and brother William E. “Bud” Davis. He is survived by nieces Kendra Kriegsman Martin, Amy Kriegsman Thompson, Kelly Kriegsman Pearlman, and Samantha Fitzgerald Presnell. He is also survived by his sister- and brother-in-law, Carla and Richard Dennis, nieces Rachel Bolaños and Robyn Dennis, and nephew Paul Dennis. John is also survived by a multitude of amazing friends and neighbors.

John graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne College (now University) and joined the Peace Corps after college. Later, he taught middle and high school English. His favorite job was at the Land of Oz in Beech Mountain in the early 1970’s; he served as the personnel director, and in the winter, he directed ski operations. John was also an artist and graphic designer, partnering with others to open Artech, a business graphics firm. Toward the end of his career, he taught English as a Second Language at Wake Technical Community College.

John had a fantastic sense of humor and sharp wit, and he had a seemingly endless supply of interesting stories, from the time he saw the “Smiling Ghost” at a friend’s home in Hickory during his college years to the time Satchel Paige bought him a drink on an airplane flight. Just when you thought you’d heard it all, he’d come up with another incredible but true story. There are tales told about him, too, such as the time he melted down his sister Linda’s original Elvis records to build a space house for a science project. The grade he made on said project is lost to history, but the story lives on.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 29 at 2:00 p.m. at Mitchell Funeral Home, 7209 Glenwood Avenue, in Raleigh, with burial following in Raleigh Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home after the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Liberty Heritage Museum, P. O. Box 1605 Liberty, NC 27298; to United Way of Lee County, 507 N. Steele St., Sanford, NC 27330 or www.leecountyunitedway.org; or to the charity of your choice.