'Sunshine' Governor Davis buried at 101

By JAMES RONALD SKAINS

James H. "Jimmie" Davis lived approximately 36,942 days. Of those days, 110 were lived in the 19th Century and 679 days were lived in the 21st Century. Of the 36,525 days that Davis lived in the 20th Century, 2,922 days were spent as the Governor of Louisiana during two four-year terms separated by a 12-year gap in which he pursued his first love, playing music and singing songs.

Few native Louisianians have surpassed Davis' longevity record, and none have equaled his long list of achievements in a combination of careers. Historians will probably characterize Davis as some type of political personality but I think Jimmie Davis was simply a songwriter and educator.

He was neither a lawyer, political careerist, banker, merchant or businessman, but a man whose greatest achievements came from sharing his "inner sunshine" with others through an self-styled educational process that seemed to emphasize "Hey, there is a kinder, gentler way to do things.

Although both Davis' 99th and 100th Birthday celebrations were huge affairs well attended by Louisiana dignitaries, his funeral on a rainy November 8 afternoon was sparsely attended in Beech Springs, giving note to one of Davis' own quips of wisdom: ``No matter who you are, the number of people attending your funeral will be determined to a large degree by the weather.

Lt. Governor Kathleen Blanco, the ranking Louisiana political figure in attendance, commenting to the Piney Woods Journal on the rainy weather during Davis funeral noted ``Maybe the angels are crying tears of joy at receiving the Sunshine man.

Maggie Warick of the Louisiana Hayride fame told the Journal that she, Lt. Governor Blanco, and Virginia Sheehy had sung ``You Are My Sunshine'' with Jimmie Davis on the stage of the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport which was the home of the Louisiana Hayride.

Warick, who along with her husband produced a 50th anniversary "Hayride Extravaganza" told the Journal that she has plans underway for another Extravaganza in the Spring of 2001 after repairs are finished on the Municipal Auditorium.

She indicated that the event might focus around Jimmie Davis and his music, which has been around the world and back from the Piney Woods many times. What a fitting tribute to Jimmie Davis and his world renowned song, "You Are My Sunshine," that has been translated into numerous languages, if Warick could engineer a scenario whereby during her upcoming event, radio stations around the world could at a set time all play, ``You Are My Sunshine.

Robert Gentry, longtime Jimmie Davis friend and the man who organized both his 99th and 100th birthday bash which took on a Hollywood production tone, was in attendance along with his wife. Gentry, publisher and editor of the Sabine Index and owner of Sweet Dreams Publishing Company recently released a book written by longtime Jimmie Davis band member, Kenny Gill.

To put in perspective Jimmie Davis political accomplishments, we can merely think of some of his milestones not happening, such as the "new" (1964) Governor's Mansion, the Sunshine Bridge, and Toledo Bend Lake. These occurred during Davis' 1960-64 term as Governor and although critics might say that these three projects would have eventually occurred anyway, looking back now, the timing of these projects seems excellent in retrospect.

Gus Weill, who wrote a book about Davis titled,``You Are My Sunshine-The Jimmie Davis Story-An Affectionate Biography'' published in 1977 said about the man he classified as truly unique ``He succeeded at every endeavor he undertook.

During Davis' first term as Governor, he instituted a retirement system for State employees as well as set up the Louisiana Drivers License system. Davis held Louisiana Drivers License number 1. His political record was also unique in that he never passed a tax in his eight years as Governor and at the end of each term, the Louisiana treasury had a surplus.

Weill in his book of 23 years ago also noted two other words of wisdom from Jimmie Davis that became Davis trademarks: "I have wined and dined with the swankiest of the swank and broken bread with the poorest of the poor, but come what may, they can't ration anything I haven't done without.

The other Jimmie Davis memento of wisdom was: "The only thing worse than losing an election is winning an election." Davis said of his ill-fated 1971 run for Governor in which he finished fourth in a field of 19 - hailing it as his "greatest victory." This "victory" Davis said, freed him from politics.

Davis was friends with celebrities all over the United States, including Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, Hank Williams, Sr., Tex Ritter, Red Foley, Paul Harvey, Lawrence Welk, Minnie Pearl, Tanya Tucker, Bill Monroe, Johnny Mack Brown, Ronald Reagan, Gene Autrey, Harry Truman and John Kennedy just to name a few. A few days before President Kennedy was assassinated in the streets of Dallas, and where the Governor of Texas was wounded, Governor Davis had ridden with President Kennedy in New Orleans in the same limousine in which Kennedy was gunned down. The FBI later established the fact that Lee Harvey Oswald had been in the crowd along the streets of New Orleans that Davis and Kennedy rode that day in 1963.

Jimmie Davis' funeral was on Wednesday, November 8th, the day after the National Elections. Word was that Davis who died on Sunday, November 5, would have been buried on Tuesday if not for the Presidential election.

Although Davis traveled far and wide, he never seemed to move far from his roots in the hill country of North Louisiana and his Christian faith, instilled in him at a early age by his mother and Dad. Obviously, from the more than 400 songs he wrote and 50 albums he recorded, his favorite music was gospel.

It was evident at Davis' funeral that he himself had helped plan his own funeral. In fact, Jimmie Davis sang on tape at his own funeral a song that he wrote and recorded and called one of his favorites which he titled "Supper Time." Davis always said that when he was a kid, that "suppertime" was his favorite time of the day.

The last lines of "Supper Time" are vintage Jimmie Davis: "For it's suppertime when all of God's children shall gather around that table with the Lord himself for the greatest suppertime of them all.

On the funeral program which Jimmie Davis had titled "A Celebration of Life," Jimmie Davis wrote: "I rejoice in the knowledge that death is only the beginning. It is my hope and prayer that all of those who visit my final resting place shall remember this - I'll meet you in the morning.