Obituary of Corwith Davis

Corwith Davis III greatly loved husband, father, son, brother, and friend died while hiking on Chimney Top Mountain in Cashiers, North Carolina August 6, 2012. He was 35. Corwith was born in Charlottesville, Virginia February 26, 1977, where he attended St. Anne's-Belfield School and played lacrosse and football. He graduated from Hamilton College in 1999 with a BA in American History, where he was a member of Delta Theta Chi fraternity. Following an early career in New Orleans, Louisiana where he was employed by Murphy Oil Corporation as a Start Up-Manager, Merchandising Manager and member of the Murphy Business Development Team, he attended Tulane University from which he earned a JD in 2006, receiving the Charles J. Kohlmeyer Jr. Award for distinction in maritime law. Corwith also earned his MBA from Tulane in 2010. At his death, Corwith was Chief Operating Officer and Manager on Inglewood Plantation in Alexandria, Louisiana, a family run farm specializing in organic vegetables, pecans and eggs. He assumed his position at Inglewood two years ago developing Inglewood's growing commitment to sustainable agriculture and organic farming. Corwith believed that Inglewood was strongly connected to the broader community of Alexandria and volunteered his time and expertise to AMIkids, the Central Louisiana Community Foundation and the Good Food Project of the Central Louisiana Food Bank. It was Corwith's drive, determination, kindness and wit that produced success for Inglewood. His sense of humor was apparent in his designation of the ecologically damaging wild pigs on Inglewood as "Louisiana Heritage Hogs." He was as knowledgeable about catching wild pigs as he was about the pH balance of soil. Corwith's leadership converted the pecan business to organic standards and initiated the first large-scale sustainable vegetable operation of its kind in Louisiana. His enthusiasm for such topics left those around him rapt with attention and wanting to learn more. Corwith was known by all as a devoted friend, person of extraordinary humor, and the ability to use his wit wisely. His insatiable drive to win a debate left each who knew him well speechless at some point. Corwith was the son of the late Corwith Davis, Jr. and Cynthia Keller Davis of Charlottesvile, VA. He is the grandson of Caroline Keller Winter of Alexandria, LA and the late Rt. Rev. Christoph Keller, Jr. and the late Corwith Davis and Cornelia Fabian Davis. He is survived by his wife, Kathryn Blair Shellnut Davis, daughter Kathryn Llewelyn Davis (Lulu) and son Corwith Davis IV (Mike) of Alexandria, LA, sister Caroline Fabian Davis and her husband Brandon Norton Partridge of Washington, D.C. and mother Cynthia Keller Davis of Charlottesville, VA. He is survived as well by his mother and father-in-law Sandra and Thomas Shellnut of Pass Christian, MS and sister and brother-in-law Susannah and Thomas Carrier of New York City. Corwith also leaves behind a throng of adoring aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends too many to name. The funeral will be held at St. Paul's Memorial Church in Charlottesville, VA on Saturday, August 11 at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to AMIkids Alexandria, 1254 MacArthur Drive, Alexandria, Louisiana 71303 or online at donations.amikids.org and select 'Alexandria.'