James Carlos Davis, 83, went to be with his Lord on February 5, 2026. He was born May 29, 1942, to Clifton and Vila Davis and lived a life marked by integrity, faith, and devotion to his family.
Carlos grew up in the Madill, Oklahoma area and graduated from Madill High School in 1960. Shortly after, he joined the National Guard, where he served six years active duty and two years in the reserves as a tank driver.
On June 25, 1961, he married the love of his life, Shirley Orr Davis. They shared 65 years of marriage and made their home in Sulphur, Oklahoma, where they spent the rest of their lives together.
Carlos began working at just 12 years old at a grocery store in Madill. His career in the grocery and produce business took him to Ardmore, where he worked for Foodway, and later to Pratts in Sulphur, where he and Shirley settled permanently and made many friends. His final and longest tenure was with City Produce Company in Ardmore, where he worked as a salesman for 37 years alongside Bob Bell. Known for his honesty and work ethic, Carlos was a man of his word—anyone who did business with him knew they could trust him completely.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Shirley Davis; his son Scott Davis and wife Lori; grandchildren Sarah Davis Beaverson and husband Isaac, and Kyle Davis and wife Hope. He was a cherished and deeply loved grandfather. He is also survived by his siblings Rickie Hawkins, Donna Parks and husband Kevin, and David Davis and wife Suzanne.
Carlos was preceded in death by his parents, Clifton and Vila Davis.
Known for his storytelling and sense of humor, Carlos loved making people laugh. He enjoyed mowing the lawn, John Wayne movies, and drinking instant coffee at four in the morning. In his free time, he loved hunting arrowheads—collecting nearly 1,000 over the years—along with hunting, fishing, playing the dobro, and perfecting his biscuit recipe.
Carlos will be remembered as a steady presence, a man of his word, a devoted family man, a believer in Jesus, and someone beloved by all who knew him.