Dr. Marion Davis
Obituary Reports the death of an individual, providing an account of the person’s life including their achievements, any controversies in which they were involved, and reminiscences by people who knew them.
Dr. Marion Rudolph Davis, a recognized dentist, noted scholar, actor and singer, passed away on Feb. 1 at the age of 90.
He was a longtime Westchester County resident. Born in Savannah, Ga. on Sept. 11, 1932, at the age of three, he and his family would migrate from the South to White Plains, and soon after would join Mt. Hope Church.
His early years growing up during the ‘30s and ‘40s exposed him to an array of people of influence in the White Plains community who, along with his mother, would shape his life path in positive ways. People like the late Rosa Adele Kittrell, who started the first African American Boy Scouts group in White Plains, where he was a scout, and the late Harcourt Tynes Sr. from Hartsdale, a scholar of the Harlem Renaissance, influenced Marion’s appreciation for the works of African American thinkers like Langston Hughes and Paul Robeson, to name a couple.
Being an honors student and acclaimed football player at White Plains High School earned Marion both an academic and football scholarship to Alfred University.
While in college, he would join the Army Reserves, and after graduation, would serve as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Korean War, stationed in Germany. While in Germany, he would learn the language, and upon returning home to the states, he would often pursue conversations with those that could speak the language.
After completing his military duties, he attended the prestigious Howard University School of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, in Washington, D.C., where he would graduate in the early 1960s. Upon graduation, Marion interned at Harlem Hospital in New York City, and then later, advanced his skills by becoming an anesthesiologist to assist and address difficult cases.
He opened his first dental practice in Mount Vernon in 1965 and was the dentist for the young Denzel Washington and his family and other well-known leaders in the community. He also referred to himself as a dentist for all, as he often took on patients that could not afford to pay for dental care. In 1972, he became the first dentist to open a practice in Co-op City in the Bronx.
In the 1980s, he would align himself with community-based medical centers like Upper Harlem Medical Group in New York City, the Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center, the Greenburgh Health Center in White Plains and others.
Upon his retirement from dentistry, Dr. Davis was fortunate enough to explore his creative passion: theater. In 1996, he starred in the dramatic musical “Sally and Thom,” a controversial work exploring the relationship of Sally Hemings and President Thomas Jefferson.
In his later years, he resided in Chappaqua, where he would write original songs, volunteer and spend time with friends, family and companion Lisa. His one-man show, in the spirit of his artistic hero Paul Robeson, was performed at the Chappaqua Library during Black History Month and was always well-received.
Family and friends affectionately called Dr. Davis “Doc,” a nickname that he took on with pride and love. His conversations always ended with words of wisdom, one of them being “Be wise: Never take any wooden nickels and be of service to others.”
Dr. Davis is survived by his devoted children, daughter Kellye Jan Davis, a writer in New Rochelle, a son, Rudy Marion Davis and daughter-in-law Melinda Davis of Atlanta, and a stepdaughter, Jennifer Hope. He is also survived by his only brother, Howard Davis, and sister-in-law Lovenia Davis of White Plains and nephews Spencer Davis, Russell Davis and Lance Davis.
Examiner Media – Keeping you informed with professionally-reported local news, features, and sports coverage.
