Vale, John Davis: One of Orange's most influential figures

A man many would regard the most influential figure the city has had in the last 50 years, Mr Davis died with his family close by on Monday, October 30. He was 74.

A giant of public life in Orange and Blayney, as well as a change-agent for sport in the Central West, Mr Davis made an impact everywhere he turned his attention to.

He loved business, cars and, despite describing himself as shy, was a pillar for the Orange community while at the helm of council for 12 of his 13 years as a councillor in the city.

Mr Davis was the city's longest serving mayor. An incredible feat when you consider the city celebrated 150 years while he was at the helm.

Mr Davis was a Blayney Shire Councillor from 1987 to 2004 including a stint as mayor from 1994 to 2004. He was then a councillor for Orange City Council from 2004 to 2017 and mayor from 2004 to 2008 and 2009 - 2017.

Upon retiring from public life, he sat in the mayoral chair that he made his own for every year - bar one - from 2004 to 2017 - and reflected on 30 years of civic service drawing to a close.

He made a moving speech in council chambers surrounded by beaming grandchildren, a proud wife and two of his children. "The decision was made and it's the right decision," he said at the time.

He was a hugely popular mayor, and his ability to remain an, as he put it, "average Australian" ensured he remained personable for the community.

"On the first day I got here, there was a machine on the desk. I said 'what's that?', and the staff said 'it's a computer', and I said 'well, it looks like a snake to me, take it away', and it disappeared. I've never seen a computer in here since. I don't need one; in here we just sit down and talk," he told the Central Western Daily in 2017.

An icon of Blayney sport and Group 10 rugby league.

Mr Davis captain-coached the Bears to the club's first Group 10 first grade premiership in 1977 and was then at the helm of the club during the 1990s.

He was coach for a memorable Group 10 grand final win over the Magpies and Cowra in 1996, and is widely credited for bringing professionalism to the group in that time.

Throughout the 1990s he brought the likes of Kerry Hemsley, Geoff Blinkhorn and Paul Sironen to Blayney to play. Bears stalwart and long-running Group 10 board member Adam Hornby said Group 10 was at its strongest in that era.

Certainly, more eye balls would have been on rugby league in Western Division then than any other period in the Group's long history.

Aside from his prowess as a player, coach and master motivator, Mr Davis was also heavily involved in backing community sport and the name 'John Davis Motors' has been donned across many jerseys, in lots of different codes, across the city.

The founder and leader of John Davis Motors for 40 years.

The business has operated on Bathurst Road now for four decades and has been selling and servicing new and used vehicles in Orange and the surrounding area.

Mr Davis started the dealership alongside his wife Kay in 1983 as a small used car dealership.

Since then, the business has expanded to become one of the biggest car dealerships across the Central West.

Here's a timeline of the John Davis Motors growth:

The John Davis Motors Facebook page paid tribute to Mr Davis on Tuesday afternoon.

"John loved the motor industry and having started as a salesman at Rural Motors in Orange when he was 19 years old he has spent 55 years of his life doing what he loved," it reads.

"John was so proud of the business he and his wife Kay have built. He loved dealing with the thousands of customers over the years and spending each day with his fantastic staff over this time."

As the old jingle said - 'Trade Up, Trade Up, at John Davis Motors, Trade Up.'

Mr Davis was an extremely generous man. He would often donate where he could, and request to remain anonymous.

"He was very, very kind and a generous person who had a lovely strong heart. When I was deputy principal at Canobolas High School John was very generous, but he always gave anonymously. He didn't want any recognition or fanfare," former Orange deputy mayor Pam Ryan said on Tuesday.

That's just one of the examples of Mr Davis' willingness to give over his lifetime.

His generosity wasn't always unnoticed though.

In 2021, when Western Care Lodge celebrated its 10th anniversary, the foundation members of Cancer Care Western NSW had someone very special they needed to thank for helping them reach such an important milestone.

According to fundraising chairperson and regional marketing manager Jan Savage, the charity's patron John Davis had been a supporter of the lodge since the very beginning.

"He has been instrumental in his ongoing support with the organisation and has secured a number of significant large donations over the years. John [Davis] has also attended regional fundraising efforts over many years," she said.

Mr Davis was even awarded an OAM for his work in supporting Cancer Care Western NSW and Western Care Lodge as a community member.

It was no secret Mr Davis loved his cars. He was heavily involved in the Gnoo Blas Classic Car club too, and as late as September was on hand to drive one of his vintage vehicles as a chauffeur for the Business Orange awards sponsors.

He also started the Cruisin' Along rally to raise funds for cancer patients in the region.

Throughout 30 years of public life at a local government level, as well as 50 years involved in community sport throughout the Orange region, Mr Davis has had one constant - his family.

Has been flanked by his adoring clan for the entirety of his time in public life.

They were there in 2013 when he was awarded his OAM and Mr Davis paid tribute to the role his wife, Kay, played in allowing him the time to have a crack at local government.

"I feel this is for Kay and the kids as they have had to put up with a lot over the years but criticism is part of the job for me and is democracy in action," he said in 2013.

"In local government you do spend a lot of time away from your family."

At the time, Mr Davis' kids - Cassandra, Ben and Gabrielle - are said to be their father's greatest fans.

"We all just think dad is so deserving of this and mum in the way she has been at his side," Ben said.

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