MANSFIELD — James Sterling Davis Jr., 77, of Columbus, died Oct. 7 at the Samaritan Hospice Unit at Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly.
Mr. Davis was born in Mount Holly and was a lifelong county resident. He was a graduate of the Peddie School and attended Lafayette University. He was, with his father and brother-in-law, a former owner of Sterling Davis Dairy in Wrightstown. He was the owner of Thunderbird Lanes in Wrightstown, the Wrightstown Community Apartments, and former owner of the Washington House Restaurant in Mount Holly.
He had been active in the Moorestown Little League and was a member of the Wrightstown Rotary Club and Pemberton Lodge F&AM. Mr. Davis was a past president of the New Jersey Bowling Proprietors and for many years promoted youth bowling programs and bowling scholarship programs.
Mr. Davis is survived by his wife of 58 years, Shirley Pew Davis; five children, Dawn (Bruce) Brown of Hummelstown, Pa., Cindy Lou Davis and her fiancé Gary Armstrong of North Hanover, James Sterling Davis III (Ann) of Moorestown, Joseph H. Davis (Wanda) of Lumberton and Matthew K. Davis (Patricia) of Lumberton. He is also survived by 13 grandchildren, Ryan (Kristin) Brown, Carrie Lyn Brown, Noel J. Baldwin, John R. Christy III (Christy), Jamie Lee Marlin (Steven), Rebecca Ann Davis, Cecelia Louise, J. Sterling IV, Kylie Rae, Joseph H. Davis Jr., Benjamin J., Nicole Emma Davis and Matthew A.H. Davis; and his great-grandchildren, Luke, Tyler, Savanna, Joanna, Kayla, Olivia, Kenny, Adia, Cassandra and John R. III. Mr. Davis is also survived by a sister, Dorothy Davis McDaniel and her husband William of Juliustown and a brother, Donald M. Davis and his wife Teresa of Sylva, N.C.; his mother-in-law, Mildred E. Pew; and several sisters, and brothers-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Monday at the Perinchief Chapels, 438 High St., Mount Holly. Interment was in Upper Springfield Cemetery. Contributions in his memory may be made to either Samaritan Hospice, 5 Eves Dr., Suite 300, Marlton, NJ 08053 or to the Grand Prix Youth Scholarship Fund, c/o Thunderbird Lanes, 423 East Main St., Wrightstown, NJ 08562.

