Obituary of Kathryn Haile Davis
Funeral services for Kathryn Haile Davis will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, May 28, 2018 from the sanctuary of Grayson Baptist Church, Grayson, Louisiana with Rev. George A. Haile and Rev. Rick Crandall officiating. Interment will follow at Columbia Hill Cemetery under the direction of Riser Funeral Home, Columbia. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 27, 2018 at the chapel of Riser Funeral Home, Columbia.
Kathryn Haile Davis was born November 1, 1956 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to the union of her parents, Dr. William C. Haile, Sr. and Anne Prosser Haile and she passed away on Friday, May 25, 2018, at her home in Columbia surrounded by her family. Kathy has been a resident of Columbia for 37 years where she was an active member of Grayson Baptist Church. Having been raised in Baton Rouge, she attended Louisiana State University for two years, where she was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity. She then moved to New Orleans, where she attended LSU Health Sciences Center to complete her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy in 1978. After working for two years at Baton Rouge General Hospital, she moved to Monroe in 1980 and began teaching courses at University of Louisiana at Monroe, formerly Northeast Louisiana University. She obtained a master’s degree in counseling from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston in 1985. She continued to educate and train occupational therapy students until 2006. She served as the department head and program director from 1991 to 2006. While at ULM, she was selected to serve on the University’s Honor Council and was recognized twice as Favorite Professor. Since 1976, she has been an active member of her state and national professional organizations, Louisiana Occupational Therapy Association and American Occupational Therapy Association, where over the years she served on many committees and as an elected officer. She also worked at the Columbia Developmental Center for over 20 years and Pinecrest Developmental Center for 3 years. At these facilities, she was able to live out her true passion for working with individuals with developmental disabilities. She loved helping these individuals to be able to participate in activities that were meaningful and purposeful to enrich each of their lives.
With all of the accomplishments in her career, they were not what defined her. She was defined by her love for family and friends. You could always find her involved in activities for her children, church, and community. All of those that knew Kathy well knew that she exemplified what it is to be a good mother. She was always selfless, exceedingly generous, and constantly thoughtful of others. She was the glue that held her entire family together, especially when it came to holidays and upholding family traditions. She devoted her life to faith, family, and friends and that devotion was her legacy. The eternal optimist, she was always positive and always believed in the good in others and in life. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Left to cherish her memory is her husband of 36 years, Dr. G. Michael Davis; her three daughters: Jennifer Davis Hluchy and husband, Nick, Lauren Davis Paxton and husband, Matt, and Marion Davis; one grandson, Benjamin Michael Hluchy; her five siblings: brothers, Dr. Mark Haile and wife, Mary of Mandeville, William C. Haile, Jr. of Baton Rouge, David Haile and wife, Monica of Baton Rouge, John Haile and wife, Robin of Baton Rouge, and sister, Carol Wells and husband, Dru of Alexandria. She is also survived by her mother- and father-in-law, George and Barbara Davis of Monroe, brothers-in-law: Dr. Paul “Corky” Davis and wife, Julie of Shreveport, Dr. John Davis and wife, Kristi of Monroe; sister-in-law, Belinda Jones and husband, Steve of Monroe, along with many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.
Serving as pallbearers will be Nick Hluchy, Matt Paxton, Grant Davis, Sam Jones, Mark Wells and Robert Wells. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Vic Sevier, Dr. Jim Iverstine, Dr. Troy Patterson, Carl Dunn and Eugene Dunn.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the professional association Kathy held so dear at heart, Louisiana Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 14806, Baton Rouge, LA 70898.
