Robert Claude Davis

Coach Robert Claude Davis, the second winningest high school football coach in Georgia sports history, walked into the arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Thursday, October 15, 2020. He was 77 years old.

Born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on January 23, 1943, Coach Robert Davis was the son of the late Claude and Norma O’Brien Davis. He grew up in High Springs, Florida and graduated from Santa Fe High School, where he lettered all three years in four different sports. After high school, Coach Davis earned a degree in Education from Livingston University, which is now West Alabama University, and began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Gainesville High School in Gainesville, Florida. He didn’t remain in Gainesville long, however, as he was soon hired by Coach Joe Sumrall as the offensive line coach at Warner Robins High School in Warner Robins, Georgia. After serving as an assistant coach at WRHS for eight seasons, Davis was named the school’s head coach in 1973, and he held that position until 1997. Over the span of 24 years, he piloted the Demons to a 253-41-1 record and captured twenty Regional Championships, three State Championships (1976, 1981, 1988), and two National Championships (1976, 1981). He also won 20 out of 23 contests against the crosstown rivals. In 1997, Davis was hired to develop the new football program at Westside High School in Macon, Georgia. He led the Seminoles to a 110-32 record in 12 seasons.

Coach Davis retired from coaching and education in 2009. At that time, he held the best record of any high school coach in Georgia with 364 wins and only 71 losses. Remarkably, Coach Davis never experienced a losing season in his 43 years as a coach. In 2005, he was inducted into the Macon Sports Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was inducted into the Georgia Coaches Association, and in 2011, he was inducted into the Georgia High School Sports Hall of Fame. Coach Davis made the Max Preps Top 100 Winningest Coaches of All Time list. While his storied career as a coach is outstanding, the largest impression Coach Davis left behind is in the love and care he felt for all of the young men he coached.

Coach Davis is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Cecilia Spradlin Davis of Bonaire; children, Robert Claude “Bob” Davis, Jr. (Janine) of Warner Robins and Kelly Stewart (Bryan) of Bonaire; stepdaughter, Julie Carroll (Jay) of Cartersville; grandchildren, Kayla LeVieux (Taylor) of Perry, Robert Claude “Trey” Davis III (Janis) of Marietta, Katie Davis (Colby Weist) and Blake Davis (Gina), both of Warner Robins, Reagan Stewart (Jacob Gravitt) and Daulton Stewart, both of Kathleen, and Caden Carroll of Cartersville; great-grandson, Maverick Davis LeVieux of Perry; and brother, Patrick Davis (Karen) of Fort White, Florida.

A funeral service honoring Coach Davis’ life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2020 at Southside Baptist Church with Reverend Mike Everson and Bobby McLain officiating. The family will receive friends at the church from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Coach Davis will be laid to rest in Magnolia Park Cemetery following the service.

For friends and family unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.

The family will accept flowers or donations may be given in memory of Coach Davis to the WRHS Football Activity Fund, 401 S. Davis Dr., Warner Robins, GA 31088.

McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.