George Wilmot Davis Jr.

Columbia - George Wilmot Davis died at home on December 28, 2024. Known locally by the nickname of “Boney”, he was the son of George Wilmot Davis senior and Susan Hayne, both of Columbia. George was a resident of the Shandon and Forest Lakes communities and attended Schneider Elementary School, Hand Junior High School and Dreher High School before being admitted to the US Naval Academy in 1951. Upon graduation in 1955, George was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy and served on active duty for 33 years. He retired from the Navy in 1988 as Commander Naval Surface Forces Pacific with the rank of Vice Admiral.

George's 33 year Naval Career included afloat tours on minesweepers, destroyers, a cruiser, the nuclear powered aircraft carrier Enterprise, and on a destroyer squadron staff. He was the commanding officer of four of these ships: USS Widgeon (MSC 208), USS Joseph K. Tausig (DE 1030), USS Richard L. Page (DEG 5) and the USS Virginia (CGN 38). Admiral Davis served ashore as the logistics assistant for Commander Allied Forces Southern Europe, as Deputy Commander Naval Sea Systems Command and as Officer in Charge of the Senior Officers Ship Material Readiness School. He received a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Naval Post Graduate School, attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk Virginia and qualified as a nuclear engineer in the Navy’s nuclear power program.

After his retirement from the Navy, George was employed by the Boston Edison Company, an electric utility in Massachusetts. While with Edison, he served as Chief Nuclear Officer, and then President and Chief Operating Officer. He was a member of the Boston Edison Board of Directors and served as the Chairman of the New England Power Pool. George retired from Boston Edison in 1995 and subsequently performed management consulting and nuclear assessment and safety oversight services for several nuclear power companies and National laboratories.

George served on the University of Chicago's Board of Governors for the Argonne National Laboratory. He was a member of the Board of Directors for the Institute of Nuclear Power Operators and for the Entergy Corporation. He served as the Chairman, National Nuclear Accrediting Board and was a member of several academic institution advisory boards, including the Secretary of the Navy's Advisory Board for the Naval Post Graduate School, the Science Advisory Board for the University of Massachusetts, and the Nuclear Engineering Advisory Committee for the University of South Carolina. Admiral Davis received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

George is survived by his wife of 67 years, Jean Carroll Davis. Mrs. Davis is a native of Los Angeles, California and the daughter of Dr. Robert L. Carroll and Jean Wilson of Columbia. Also surviving are sons George and Robert, daughter Susan Hipp, along with two granddaughters, Jennifer Thuen and Anne Mousseau, four great-grandchildren, and sisters Blanche Schaeffer and Lillah Heisey.

A graveside service will be held at 10:30 am Friday, January 3, 2025 in Elmwood Cemetery. A visitation will follow at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral from 12:00 to 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Therapy Place, 3620 Covenant Road, Columbia, SC 29204, with checks designating "In memory of George Davis" or at https://thetherapyplace.charityproud.org/Donate/Index/35394 or Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 1100 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29201.

Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com