Samuel Md Jr.

Samuel Dobbs Davis, Jr., MD, 94 of Northport, Alabama died May 7, 2018 at home.
Services will be held at St. Mark United Methodist Church in Northport, AL on Friday, May 11, 2018 at 2:00 pm with Dr. Mark Lacey and Rev. John Drawhorn officiating and Magnolia Chapel North directing. Visitation will follow the service on Friday. The family will hold a private burial on Friday.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Hayes Davis; his parents, Sam and Fannie Lou Crawford Davis; brothers, Rev. William C. Davis and James Michael Davis; infant sister, Mary Beth Davis.

Survivors include his daughters, Ruth Davis Nichols (Michael), Columbus, GA Kathryn Davis Phillips (Michael), Vestavia, AL, Son, Samuel Dobbs Davis, III (Teresa), Tuscaloosa, AL, Brother, Harold Davis, Northport, AL , Grandchildren, Alison Guillory (Brady), Tuscaloosa, AL; Sam D. Davis IV (Susan), Duncanville, AL; James Nichols (Candace), Atlanta, GA; Claire Nichols, Columbus, GA; Walt Till (Kelly), Trussville, AL; Jonathan Till (Casey), Pelham, AL; Tyler Till (Lauren), Mt. Pleasant, SC and 10 Great - Grandchildren.

Sam was born and raised in Gordo, Alabama. He attended Gordo public schools and graduated in 1942 from Columbia Military Academy in Columbia, Tenn. Sam attended the University of Alabama where he was a member of Chi Phi fraternity. He graduated from the University of Alabama Medical School. He did his internship at Jefferson-Hillman Hospital in Birmingham. He married Ruth Hayes of Tuscaloosa in 1946 and they were married for 69 years until her death in 2015. He and Ruth moved to Tuskegee, Ala, where Sam started his
medical practice in 1949. As a general practitioner in the 1940s and 50s Sam did all kinds of medicine including surgery, delivering babies, and making house calls. In 1953 Sam enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served two years as a Captain at Craig Air Force
Base in Selma, Ala. After his discharge, he made the move to Northport in 1955 after being recruited by city leaders. Sam practiced medicine in Northport until his retirement in 1989. He was an investor and instrumental in the opening of West Alabama General Hospital (now DCH Northport Medical Center). He served a term as the chief of staff. Even after retirement, Sam took continuing education courses through the Family Practice program at the University. Affectionately known as "Dr. Sam," he was well loved by his patients. Sam was a life-long Methodist and he and Ruth were charter members of St. Mark United Methodist Church. Sam served on the Board of Trustees and the Administrative Board and was a member of the Senior Adult Bible Study class. Sam and Ruth enjoyed a long, healthy retirement. The first autumn after he retired, they built a 100-step stairway from their lake house to Lake Tuscaloosa. This stairway was of professional quality and is still in use almost 30 years later. While their health allowed, Sam and Ruth enjoyed spending time at the lake, alone or with family and friends. Sam took pride in his vegetable garden and taking care of things around the house. He was always puttering. His favorite pastimes though were hunting and fishing. There was no place he'd rather be than in a field, a deer stand, or a boat. Sam was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He will be greatly missed by his family.

The family would like to thank Dr. Regina Harrell; the staff of Hospice of West Alabama; the staff of Home Instead Senior Care, especially Octavia Maddox, Crystal Milam, Sharon Latham, Brenda Hodges-Barnes, Ethel Garrett, Lynn Crews, Cleola Hopkins, Betty Silver, Gloria Crummie, Christy Wise, and Stephaine Buffaloe for their loving and compassionate care of our father; and special thanks to Bobby Buffaloe who was Daddy's companion and friend for the last two years.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of West Alabama or The Hiram Glass Davis Scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia Rd, Birmingham, AL 35254.

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