Davis Watts

Funeral services for James Davis Watts, age 77, of Cookeville, will be at 10 a.m. Friday, June 21, Cookeville Chapel of Hooper, Huddleston, & Horner Funeral Home. Bro. Buddy Johnson will officiate. Interment will follow in the Cookeville City Cemetery.

Mr. Watts will lie in state on Thursday, June 20, from 4 to 6 p.m. The family will receive friends Friday from 9 a.m. until service time.

Mr. Watts passed away Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at Cookeville Regional Medical Center.

He was born October 24, 1946, in Lebanon, TN, to the late James Thurman (J.T.) and Virginia Ray Watts. Davis graduated from Jackson County High School in 1964 and received a degree in agriculture from Tennessee Tech University in 1969. His first job after college was as a United States Department of Agriculture food processing plant inspector in Columbus, Ohio, and West Tennessee. Later, he sold fertilizer in a joint project between Chilean and the University of Tennessee.

In 1973, Davis returned to Cookeville and began his banking career at First National Bank. He has filled many different jobs at the bank and has been a part of many changes in the banking industry. He graduated from the Vanderbilt Banking School in 1975 and the Louisiana State University Banking School in 1982. He retired in November 2017 from First Tennessee Bank as a Senior Vice President after receiving numerous trips and awards. His greatest joy was helping welcome new families and businesses to the community and secure lending.

Davis was involved in his community and actively participated throughout the years in the Cookeville Jaycees, Cookeville Noonday Lion's Club, Cookeville Breakfast Rotary as a Paul Harris Fellow, and the Farm Bureau of Putnam County Board of Directors. He also served as a board member of the Cookeville/Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, Upper Cumberland Forestry Association, and Cumberland Beef Breeders Association.

A dedicated supporter of Tennessee Tech University, Davis was an Alpha Gamma Sigma National Ag Fraternity member and served as National President. In 2016, he received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the College of Agriculture & Human Ecology. He also served on the College of Business Advisory Board and the Athletic Foundation.

In 2006, he purchased back his family's General Mercantile Store in the Nameless Community of Jackson County, a place where he loved to visit with friends and reminisce. His family farm, also located in Nameless, has been recognized as a Tennessee Century Farm by the Tennessee Center for Historic Preservation.

He is preceded in death by his parents and sister, Hilda Watts. He is survived by his loving wife, Lou Ann Watts, of 48 years; his son, James Davis Watts, Jr.; his daughter and son-in-law, Ann Boyd and Wilson Davis; and grandchildren, Andrew Wilson and Annabelle Elizabeth Davis. He is also survived by his many cousins.

He attended Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ and Collegeside Church of Christ.

The Watts family would like to thank all the healthcare professionals who cared for Davis in recent years, especially Dr. Brian Dockery, Dr. Stacy Brewington, RN Taylor Fletcher, and Dr. Kenneth Wood. The community benefits tremendously from having such kind, caring, and faithful nurses, doctors, and healthcare individuals at CRMC, NHC, and all the other countless medical facilities in our community.

Greg Evans, Nelson Forrester, Phil Hall, David Horner, Gary McNabb, Mike Medley, Dan Rader and Dr. Jim Vaden will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be his cousins, Mark "Puggs" Watts, Mike Ray, Nicky Ray, Jimmy Murphy, Larry Vinson, and Mike Leftwich. Also serving as honorary pallbearers are all his past and present friends and coworkers throughout the years.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the James Davis and Lou Ann Boyd Watts Scholarship Fund at Tennessee Tech University, P.O. Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505; the PEP Grant, Backpack Food Program at Putnam County Board of Education, Katelyn Steakley, 1400 E. Spring St., Cookeville, TN 38506; and/or the Monterey Food Bank, Backpack Food Program at 1123 E. Commercial Ave., Monterey, TN 38574.

Hooper Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. (931)526-6111. Share your thoughts and memories at www.hhhfunerals.com.