Davis Littleton Temple Jr.

GREENSBORO, GA – Davis Littleton Temple, Jr., 78, of Greensboro, Georgia, passed away peacefully with family at his side on September 6, 2021 after courageously battling pancreatic cancer.  The family, including his beloved Wife Patricia (“Patty”) Temple of 55 years, and their only child Suzanne Temple Prescott, had spent many happy years at Lake Oconee in Greensboro.

Davis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi on June 10, 1943 to Davis and Ernestine Temple.  He grew up in Tupelo with his younger sister Mary, graduating from Tupelo High School in 1961.  He went on to become a student at the University of Mississippi (“Ole Miss”), receiving a B.S. in Pharmacy in 1966 and a Ph.D in Medicinal Chemistry in 1969.  He was lucky to meet Patty in Calculus class at Ole Miss.  Ole Miss honored Davis by awarding him the University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1998.  Following his graduation from Ole Miss, he completed his postdoctoral research at Louisiana State University.   Davis was an accomplished scientist who spent many years working as a researcher and pharmaceutical executive in the biotechnology industry.  He ultimately became Senior Vice President for Central Nervous System Research for Bristol-Myers Squibb in 1984.  Davis has an extensive record of pharmaceutical patents, and he has also published many scientific papers, articles, and journals.  He was proud that his accomplishments in the medical field improved the quality of life of the people in his community.

Davis’ career took the family from Mississippi to Evansville, Indiana, where his daughter, Suzanne, was born, and to Wallingford, Connecticut.  The family also enjoyed many years on Long Island Sound in Clinton, Connecticut, as well as at their vacation home in Bonita Springs, Florida, enjoying 25 years of the “snow-bird” lifestyle.  In his retirement, Davis and Patty followed Suzanne down to Georgia, where they fell in love with Lake Oconee.  Davis enjoyed the outdoors, fishing and boating, and a wonderful community of friends.  He could easily be described as the “life of the party,” delighting his guests with his famous story-telling, often drawing on memories from his youth, extensive travels, and rich career.  In his retirement, Davis re-discovered his love for the arts, writing and publishing seven works of fiction.  His first novel, “Two Letters Then Booger Den: Land of Dark Waters,” published in 2002, received the Mississippi Library Association Author Award in 2004.  Davis drew inspiration for his writing from his own life experiences, ranging from life in the South during the Civil Rights era to the pharmaceutical industry.  Davis was a beloved member of the Greensboro Writers’ Guild.  Davis also loved to paint, using both oil and watercolor, most well-known for his paintings of the cherished family dogs, as well as almost every dog of every friend of the family. He took great joy and pride in creating works of art for friends and family, most recently painting beautiful floral watercolors for his granddaughter’s room.

Davis was preceded in death by his mother Ernestine Temple and his father Davis Little Temple.  He is survived by his wife Patty, daughter Suzanne (Ryan Prescott); grandson Conner Prescott and granddaughter Bronwyn Prescott; one sister Mary Taussig; 2 nephews and 3 nieces; and his favorite grand dog Penny.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Ron Foley Pancreatic Cancer Foundation in West Hartford,  CT would be dear to his heart, as well as support his legacy of medical research and pharmaceutical development.  The Foundation’s primary fundraiser is a Kentucky Derby Day party, which is apropos considering his grandson Conner was born on Derby Day and the Prescott family enjoys an annual Derby Day party tradition.  If you are so called, please make a donation in memory of Davis Temple, to https://www.ronsrun.org/the-foundation.