In Remembrance: Gordon K. Davies ’59, ’67PhD Died on April 12 2026

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Gordon Kenneth Davies was born in New York City in 1938 to Kenneth John Davies and Christine Ann Andrian Davies. He died peacefully at Carol Woods in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on April 12, 2026, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

Gordon is survived by his wife, Betsy Brinson, who was his life-partner for more than 50 years; his daughter Sarah Davies and her husband Mark Zec and their children, Caroline and Katherine; his stepdaughter Valerie Gogal and her husband Mark and their children, Rachel, Adam, and Hannah; his stepson Oscar Brinson and his wife Mindy; his daughter-in-law Jennifer Stokes; his sister Gail Kiewit; his great-granddaughter; and his nieces. He was predeceased by his beloved son, Benjamin Davies, and his dear sister, Judie Day.

Gordon was a lifelong athlete, starting with baseball and football in his youth and then, in his 30s, discovering his love of running. He ran many miles a day for more than 40 years. He was a longtime participant in the Lynchburg 10-miler, and ran many marathons, including the Marine Corps, Boston, New York, and Richmond marathons. He was also an avid hiker and mountain climber. He climbed, often with his son Benjamin, throughout the United States, Europe, South America, and Nepal. One of his great joys was teaching rock climbing to kids through programs run by Kismet Rock Foundation in New Hampshire.

Gordon was as adventuresome intellectually as he was physically. He enjoyed working through complicated philosophical issues, and was thoroughly engaged in conversations about ideas. He was a gifted speaker, and spoke regularly at colleges, universities, legislatures, and conferences. He was a lifelong learner and was curious about the world and the people in it. Some of his greatest adventures were his travels with Betsy, including time spent living in Wellington, New Zealand, and Ramallah, Palestine.

Gordon was a “convinced Quaker,” and a member of the Richmond Friends Meeting. He also served on the board of the Richmond Peace Education Center. Gordon was particularly attracted to the simplicity of Quakerism and its emphasis on nonviolence, justice, and service to others. 

Gordon went to Yale University on scholarship, graduating in 1959. He then served as a lieutenant in the US Navy until 1961. While raising his young family in Connecticut during the 1960s, he worked for IBM and completed his master’s degree and his PhD in the philosophy of religion from Yale.

Gordon was a founding dean of Stockton State College (now Stockton University) in Pomona, New Jersey in 1971. In 1973, he joined the State Council for Higher Education for Virginia (“SCHEV”) as its assistant director. He became the director of SCHEV in 1977 and served until 1997, making significant steps to modernize and coordinate the Virginia higher education system so that it better served the needs of all Virginians. He served in a similar role in Kentucky from 1998 to 2002. He served on the board, including as its president, of the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association and the Southern Regional Education Board.

Gordon was demanding of himself and of the people working with him. He was guided by a strong moral compass, insisting on fulfilling the mission of making higher education accessible, relevant, and better suited to prepare future generations to meet the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century. 

Gordon was both a simple man and an extraordinary man. He loved to bake bread. He loved a good dark beer. He loved church choirs, blue grass, and folk music. He loved reading books to children. He was funny, always quick with a smile or a pun. He sought to make the world a little better, a little more beautiful, and a little more just.

In accordance with Gordon’s wishes, there will be no memorial service. Donations in Gordon’s memory can be made to the Richmond Peace Education Center: www.rpec.org, 4500 Kensington Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221.

—Submitted by the family.