Davis Lee Jahncke, Jr.

He was born in New Orleans on November 3, 1943. Son of the late Davis Lee Jahncke and Elizabeth Carter Cutting Jahncke; brother of Robert Cutting Jahncke and Thomas Carter Jahncke. He attended the Miss Edith Aiken School followed by Woodberry Forest School, St. Martin’s Episcopal School, and then Tulane University where he earned a Bachelor and Master of Architecture, a Master of Business Administration and was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

Mr. Jahncke practiced architecture for over fifty years, founding his eponymous architecture firm in New Orleans in 1976, after spending several years sharpening his skills in Boston, Massachusetts under Benjamin C. Thompson at The Architects Collaborative. His vast portfolio of residential projects included dozens of notable private homes in the Garden District and across the Southeast. One of his cherished accomplishments was that he designed and helped found Camp Pleasant, which helped reshape the Garden District. Other major engagements included select projects at the Solomon Episcopal Conference Center, the Historic New Orleans Collection, the Presbytère, both Trinity Episcopal School and Church, Louise S. McGehee School, and iconic restaurants, such as Galatoire’s, Antoine’s, Commander’s Palace, and Bouligny Restaurant which he also co-founded. He was known for his humor, impeccable taste, exacting attention to detail, sense of color and space, and reputation in historic renovation, restoration and adaptive reuses. He was extremely proud of his German heritage and the impact that his family had on the formative years of New Orleans.

Mr. Jahncke was a proud member of the Boston Club, the Lake Shore Club, the Society of the Colonial Wars, the Sons of the Revolution, and of several Carnival organizations.

He is survived by his loving and caring wife of 53 years, Pickslay Pipes Jahncke, two sons, Davis Lee Jahncke III (Noelle) and Minor Pipes Blanc Jahncke (Mia), and five grandchildren, Smith Davis Jahncke, Pike Minor Jahncke, Davis Lanier Jahncke, William Fritz Minor Jahncke, and Mary Irene Jahncke.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1329 Jackson Avenue in New Orleans, on Saturday, January 24th, 2025, at 12:00PM. Visitation will be held at the Church beginning at 11:00AM. The interment will be private. Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to Trinity Episcopal School, 1315 Jackson Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130.

To view and sign the online guest book, please visit LakeLawnMetairie.com