Jeffrey M.D.

Jeffrey. P. Davis, MD

Madison: Jeffrey Paul Davis died on January 16, 2018 at the University of Wisconsin Hospital. He was born in Milwaukee on August 22, 1945 to Mynette Babrove Davis and Maurice Davis. He was the beloved husband of Roseanne Clark and father of Eli and Ethan Clark-Davis; brother of Susan Davis Silver (Larry); brother-in-law of Debbie and Ron Fellman and Russell and Lori Clark; Uncle of Ben and Kate Silver; Becky, Matt, and Daniel Fellman and Jesse, Joshua and Justin Clark.

Jeff was the Chief Medical Officer for Communicable Diseases and the State Epidemiologist for the State of Wisconsin for over 40 years. He was also Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics and Population Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He attended Whitefish Bay High School, University of Wisconsin-Madison where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Society. Jeff attended the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and did his Pediatric Residency at the University of Florida and completed his Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship at Duke University Medical Center.

Jeff was proud to have served in the Epidemiological Intelligence Service at the Centers for Disease Control(CDC)and he continued to mentor numerous EIS fellows as well as medical students interested in public health. He was passionate about public health especially the health of the people of Wisconsin. He was also a brilliant medical detective making the connection between toxic shock syndrome and tampons, on the team that identified the infectious agent transmitted by ticks that causes Lyme Disease and led numerous significant public health investigations of outbreaks in Wisconsin including the identification of Cryptosporidium of the water supply in Milwaukee affecting over 800,000 residents. This was the largest waterborne disease outbreak in documented United States history. Dr. Davis' contributions to the fields of Infectious Disease, Epidemiology and Public Health are reflected in his over 250 publications. In addition, Jeff was an avid sports enthusiast and loved watching Badger football and basketball, the Packers, PGA and tennis tournaments and attending Madison Symphony Orchestra concerts and travel.

Jeff was a truly wonderful friend and neighbor and will be tremendously missed for his gentle kindness, sense of humor and his enthusiastic sharing of his vast knowledge of all things music and sports. Jeff greatly appreciated his walks with his dog, Bodhi.

Jeff's family has deep gratitude to his medical team at UW Hospital and Clinics and the staff of the TLC.

The funeral will be this Friday, January 19th at 2:00 pm. The service will be held at the First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Drive in the Landmark Auditorium. Following the service, burial will take place at Natural Path Sanctuary at the Farley Center, 2299 Spring Rose Road, Verona.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Jeff's memory will be greatly appreciated and may be made to the Jeffrey P. Davis, MD Scholarship at the University of Wisconsin Foundation fund #132580154 ( https://secure.supportuw.org/give/?id=6f99c5b7-4e1a-4207-9595-dd52d562da19&&tribute=memory&tributename=Jeffrey%20P.%20Davis%20MD& ). This scholarship will support medical students who are dedicated to a career in public health.


Cress Funeral Home
3610 Speedway Road
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 238-3434