James Ernest Davis, 95, of Southern Pines, died Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, at his home at Belle Meade.
A celebration of life memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, at the Belle Meade chapel, in Southern Pines.
He was born Oct. 3, 1916, in Pittsburgh, to the late Ernest and Phoebe Annabelle (Griffith) Davis. He was a graduate of Kiskiminetas Springs School in Salsburg, Pa., and from the University of Pittsburgh. He married Barbara Margaret Smith Sept. 23, 1944; she preceded him in death on Aug. 25, 2008.
He was the manager of aircraft evaluation for American Airlines in New York City from 1953-1958; director of equipment and facilities planning of Eastern Airlines, in New York, from 1964-1965; vice president of Airbus Industries/North America, New York, from 1978-1980; and director of technical projects of Simat, Helliesen & Eichner Inc., New York, from 1980-1984. He also was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers, where he served as a past chairman of the Metropolitan Section; member of the SAE Wright Brothers Medal Award Board from 1963-1966; chairman and board of directors for Radcliff Civic Association and served as president in 1957; American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; and also a member of the Acoustical Society of America.
He is survived by his son, James Harrison Davis and wife, Carole Mead Davis; daughter, Deborah Griffith Davis and husband, John Anthony Flynn, of England; two grandchildren, Griffith Mead Davis and Morgan Clare Davis Payne; and one great-grandchild, Aidan Joel Payne.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sandhills Coalition for Human Care, 1500 W. Indiana Ave., Southern Pines, NC 28387.
Boles Funeral Home and Crematory of Southern Pines is serving the family.