Johnny Davis

Johnny Michael Davis of Waco, Texas, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2026, at the age of 82. Born on January 6, 1944, in Waco to Clifton Edward and Ruth Flanagan Davis, Johnny grew up with values that shaped a life marked by devotion, adventure, and quiet strength. A proud graduate of Waco High School, class of 1962, and Baylor University in 1968, he carried the spirit of his hometown throughout a rich and purposeful life.

An avid adventurer, Johnny embraced the outdoors with passion. He was an enthusiastic golfer, hunter, snow skier, photographer, and skeet shooter. He loved sailing, fishing, and SCUBA diving, and as a licensed private pilot, he found joy in the freedom of the skies. At his beloved Davis Ranch in Pearl, Texas, he built a cabin by hand from solid rock, creating a personal sanctuary where he savored quiet evenings watching the sun paint the Texas hills. He also constructed a magnificent rock home on the Middle Bosque River using local fieldstone, a lasting testament to his craftsmanship and vision. It was there, listening to the river’s gentle flow, that he and Harriet were married, and where his son Mike and his family now live.

As President and CEO, Johnny expanded the insurance company founded by his father into Home State Insurance Group and Equity Insurance Company, growing it into one of the largest family-owned businesses in its field. He took deepest pride not in the company’s success alone, but in the people who worked there, whom he regarded as extended family. He was especially pleased that his children and grandchildren became part of the family enterprise, carrying forward the legacy he built with care and integrity.

Johnny is survived by his beloved wife of 44 years, Harriet Herring Davis; his son Mike and wife Amy of Waco; his daughter Jen of Wimberley; and his grandchildren Lili and Evan Huddleston of Tulsa, and John and William Davis of Waco. He is also survived by Mike and Jen’s mother, Jonnilou Negri; niece Melanie Davis of Fort Worth; nephew Gary Davis of Houston; and sister-in-law Margaret Davis of Fort Worth. He was preceded in death by his parents, C.E. and Ruth Davis; his brother, Jackie Clifton Davis; and his sister, Jo Ann Davis Dixon.