CMU economics professor was 'a natural'

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Thursday, May 11, 2006
By Jerry Vondas

"In baseball, they use the word 'a natural' in describing an exceptional player. Toby was a natural when it came to economics," Strauss said. "He could take a complicated subject, simplify and focus it, and get to the core of things."

Born and raised on a farm in Darlington, S.C., Mr. Davis was one of three children of Otto and Pauline Anderson Davis.

Because his father was named Otto, his family decided to call him Toby.

"The name stuck," said his son, Craig Davis.

Mr. Davis graduated from St. John's High School in Darlington in 1952, received his undergraduate degree in economics from Wofford College in Spartansburg, S.C., in 1956, and earned his master's degree and doctorate in economics from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville in 1960.

Mr. Davis joined the faculty of the CMU Graduate School of Industrial Administration in 1960, and in the ensuing years, in addition to co-founding the School of Urban and Public Affairs, he held joint appointments in the social and decision sciences department and the engineering and public policy department.

He was instrumental in establishing several scholarly societies, including the Association for Public Policy and Management and the Public Choice Society, serving as president of each.

Family members said Mr. Davis dedicated his time to improving and facilitating relationships between faculty and students. He served as chair of the university's Human Relations Commission, which deals with matters of gender and race, and also issues that arise among students, staff, faculty and the university.

"Toby was also concerned about the students and faculty of CMU," Strauss said. "His door was always open for both students and faculty."

Craig Davis recalled his father's willingness to accept his students as members of his extended family.

"Dad was a father figure. He went out of his way to better acclimate (foreign students) to the American way of life.

"Dad taught several of the Chinese students to drive. And we always had students and faculty who didn't have a place to go for the holidays come to our house for dinner and spend the holiday with us. Many of his former students kept in touch with Dad through the years."

Craig Davis said his father was "a great Steelers and Pirates fan, who once a year would take about 20 members of our family, which included several of his students, to a Steelers game."

Mr. Davis is survived by his wife, Carol Quinn Davis, whom he married in 1962; three children, Craig Davis, of Illinois, Wendy Hicks, of Virginia, and Ross Davis, of Connecticut; five grandchildren, Matthew, Samuel, Katherine, Allison and Charles; and a sister, Marianne Murphy, of Crawford County.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Paul Thomas Davis.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the John A. Freyvogel Funeral Home, 4900 Centre Ave., Oakland.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m Monday at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, 605 Morewood Ave., Oakland.

Jerry Vondas can be reached at jvondas@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7823.