Jake "JC" C. Davis

Obituary Jake C. Davis was born October 12, 1932, in Canton, Mississippi to James Davis and Verneta Hamblin-Davis. Jake was the fifth of seven children born to James and Verneta. Jake departed this life on February 22, 2018. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, a brother, and a daughter, Katheryn Marie Davis. Jake was raised on a farm and went to a country school through sixth grade. After that, Jake worked on the family farm to help provide for the family. When Jake was sixteen, a person in charge of the Monarchs’ Baseball Team came through Mississippi and spotted Jake, his brother, and some of their friends playing baseball. He invited Jake and his brother to come to Mobile, Alabama to try out for the Monarchs. It was while in Mobile that Jake met Jackie Robinson. Jake decided that the life of a Black Baseball Player was not the life that he wanted, and he soon returned to the family farm in Canton where he stayed until he was twenty. He had received an invitation from his sister who lived in Kansas City, Kansas to come to the area to live and once he got here, he decided to make the Kansas City area his home. Around the time Jake arrived from Mississippi, Armour Meat Packing Plant was hiring strong, young men, and because Jake qualified, he landed a job at the plant. During the ten years that Jake worked at Armour, he met the love of his life, Sophia Jo Oakley, who was sixteen at the time. Sophia Jo and her girlfriend were getting ready to go into a movie show one day when Sophia spotted Jake and was quite taken by him. The girls went into the show and Jake told them that he would be waiting there for them when the show was over. Sophia Jo didn’t really take Jake seriously, but to her surprise, he was waiting outside the movie house for the girls when the show was over. Jake took Sophia Jo and her girlfriend home in his car. When they got to Sophia Jo’s house, she insisted that Jake come in to meet her mother and grandmother because it was only proper since he drove her home… and the rest is history. Jake and Jo married on March 24, 1956, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Kansas City, Kansas. Jake and Jo had four children: Kathryn Marie, James Craig, Jake C., Jr, and Liesa Marie. They made their first home in Kansas City, Kansas and eventually moved to the Missouri side. Jake left Armour to go to work at General Motors Leeds plant, where he retired in 1985. Jake and Jo have been members of St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church for over thirty years, where they both worked hard on the Fundraising Committee for many years. Jake also volunteered at St. Therese keeping the grounds looking well groomed. He loved to fish, make his own BBQ Sauce (which he would sell at the annual Mardi Gras Party), watch wrestling on TV, take meticulous care of his cars and garage, and work in his home garden. Jake also had a huge sweet tooth. Jake spent the last four years being cared for at Garden Terrace in Overland Park. The family wishes to thank all the nurses, aides, and staff members at Garden Terrace for the wonderful care they gave to Jake. Jo and her family also want to thank their St. Therese community for all the love, prayers, and support shown to them during this most difficult time. Jake C. (J.C.) Davis leaves to cherish his memory, his devoted wife, Sophia Jo Davis; children: James Craig Davis, Jake C. Davis, Jr. (Nina), and Liesa Marie Brown; eleven grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral Service for Jake C. (J.C.) Davis will be held Saturday, March 3, 10:00 a.m. at St. Therese Catholic Church, 5814 Euclid Ave. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. at the Church. Interment, Mt. Olivet Cemetery. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jake "JC" C. Davis, please visit our floral store. Read More

Jake "JC" C. Davis

October 12, 1932 - February 22, 2018