Paul Davis Obituary

Dr. Paul Thackrah Davis

Dr. Paul Thackrah Davis died Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at his home in Lexington, Kentucky. He is survived by his wife, Jane Murray Davis; his five children, Annie Davis Weber, Richard (Kate) Davis, Jonathan (Andrea) Davis, Elizabeth (Pete) Davis Moreno, and James Davis; as well as 14 grandchildren.

He was born August 30, 1951, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Dr. Richard Elmer Davis and Jean Thackrah Koethen Davis. Both predeceased him. He grew up in South Carrollton, Kentucky, living and exploring on the banks of the Green River with his older siblings, Rick Davis, Michelle Davis Jamison and Michael Davis. He attended school in Central City, Kentucky, and graduated from Central City High School in 1969. He played oboe in the school band and was the drum major for the marching band.

He attended Southern Illinois University for two years during the height of the Vietnam War riots. He told stories of being gassed by the National Guard in a Catholic church on the same night that they gassed the local hospital. The students were ordered not to congregate in groups larger than three people, so hundreds of them gathered on the university lawn in groups of three.

On January 31, 1971, he and a friend from high school were invited to attend the launch of Apollo 14. He described it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. "You saw the flash of the rocket take off and then seconds later felt the sound hit you so hard that your shirt fluttered in its intensity." Later, he continued with his love of all things space-related by working part-time at a planetarium.

In July of 1971, he enlisted in the Navy as a radioman. He was stationed in Panama City, Florida, for two years, then on the USS Suribachi, an ammunition ship out of Jacksonville, Florida. He worked on an AT&T cable-laying ship, the USS Longlines, and traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to England. On the Suribachi, he went on maneuvers to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He received a National Defense Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation and an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. He was discharged as a Second Class Petty Officer.

While in the Navy, he met his wife, Jane Murray Davis. As she always said, "He was the Best Man at my sister's wedding, obviously!" They were married January 1, 1977, in Houston, Texas. They have five children, Annie Davis Weber, Richard Davis (Kate), Jon Davis (Andrea), Elizabeth Davis Moreno (Pete) and James Davis.

He returned to school at University of Louisville. He graduated from medical school at University of Louisville in May 1983, receiving academic awards from the family practice and psychiatry departments. He continued with residency in family practice medicine at University of Louisville and was chief resident during his final year.

Paul moved to Findlay, Ohio, in 1986 and established a medical practice there, sharing facilities with a friend from medical school, Dr. Don Schiebly. In 1994, he began working for Blanchard Valley Hospital at an office in McComb. He was approached by University of Findlay in 1997 to start a physician assistant program. He began in a small office, just him and his computer, researching what was needed to start the PA program and get it accredited. They graduated their first class in the year 2000. He established the Richard E. and Jean K. Davis Scholarship program for PA students and the John R. Murray and Barbara F. Murray Award for Excellence in Academics in the PA program. He stepped down from the PA program in 2006 and pursued classes in his second area of interest, computer science. He returned to the PA program after a couple of years and retired as the program's director in 2013. He was very proud that year that 100% of his students passed their national boards. He loved teaching adult medicine and pathophysiology to PA students. He described it as the best job ever, because he got to spend his time studying medicine so he could always be one step ahead of his students.

In January 2019, Paul received a phone call. The caller ID said the White House. He was asked to come present at a task force meeting about surprise medical bills. A few years before, his daughter, Elizabeth, had had back surgery and received an egregious bill of $17,500 for a follow-up urine drug screen. Paul was instrumental in getting information to the public about the costs to consumers from surprise medical bills. He was asked to return to the White House in May of 2019 and gave a passionate speech, standing next to President Trump, about the devastating costs of surprise medical bills. As he said, "Surprise medical bills hurt those the most who can afford it the least," and "If you get asked to go to the White House, you go, no matter who the President is." Through his efforts and those of many others who had been harmed by medical bills, the "Surprise Medical Bill" bill passed Congress in December 2020.

He spent his retirement years writing a book from his father-in-law, John Murray's, letters home from the Pacific during World War II and playing bridge at the country club with the guys. His grandchildren loved playing cards, board games, and especially video games with him. He is survived by 14 grandchildren, Helen, Sebastian, Sam, Felicity, Paul, Eloise, Charlotte Joy, Owen, Elliott, Annabelle, Kaylin, Shawn, Gabriel and Francis.

Paul loved roller coasters, skiing and coaching James in soccer. He was an early adopter of the term computer geek. From his first Commodore 64 to his latest Razer laptop, he could make them work for him and play complex computer games. He was always willing to help family and friends with their computer problems (Wiggle the cord, Annie). He was an avid reader of history and a supporter of the Air Force Museum and Smithsonian Museums. He learned to play the piano while taking classes at the University of Findlay.

In November of 2019, Paul was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer, Ocular Melanoma. It hits one out of a million people, and Paul was definitely one out of a million. He fought the good fight for six years, and his family is very grateful for those years.

On Thursday, November 6, 2025, Paul's family and friends will gather on the banks of the Green River at John Prine Memorial Park, near Rochester Dam, at 1 p.m. to celebrate Paul's life. As the singer John Prine said, "Take me back to Muhlenburg County, down by the Green River, where Paradise lay".

Visitation with family is from 10- noon Saturday, November 8, 2025, at COLDREN-CRATES FUNERAL HOME, 205 W Sandusky Street in Findlay, followed by a celebration of his life and memorial service.

Donations can be sent to The University of Findlay Physician Assistant Program Scholarship Fund or Cure-Ocular Melanoma Foundation in Washington, DC.