A legacy of faith, family and pharmacy
Rhonda Minton | Office of Advancement |
At six years old, Roger Davis already knew his calling. Walking into Baker Brothers Drug Co. in downtown Manchester, Tennessee, young Roger was captivated—not just by the gleaming soda fountain or the bustling offices upstairs, but by the man, Dee Baker, behind the pharmacy counter.
"When I met Mr. Dee, a well-respected pharmacist in Manchester, I knew what I wanted to do," Davis recalls. "I knew at age six that I wanted to be a pharmacist like Mr. Dee—and that desire never changed."
That childhood dream, nurtured by parents E.L. and Opal Davis, who instilled in their only child two unwavering expectations—to follow Christ and pursue education for a better life—would blossom into a remarkable career. More importantly, it would become a bridge for countless students to achieve their own dreams.
Davis earned his Bachelor of Science and Pharm.D. degrees from the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy, then spent more than 28 years as a professor of clinical pharmacy and assistant dean for Middle Tennessee at UT Health Science Center.
He also served as lobbyist for the Tennessee Pharmacists Association and worked as a senior regional medical liaison for Sanofi-Aventis, helping revolutionize diabetes care.
But it was through his wife, Nancy White Davis ('74), a Lipscomb University graduate from Manchester, Tennessee, that Davis learned more about Lipscomb—a connection that would transform their lives and the institution itself.
"I knew of Lipscomb but didn't know many who'd gone there. All of Nancy's friends were from Lipscomb. She truly loved it," he said. "Through her, I first saw how Lipscomb's relationship-based environment was so nurturing, supportive and long-lasting. Nearly all of our friends during our life together had some Lipscomb connection."
The couple married in March 1973 and raised three children—Andrea, Tyler and Braeden—all of whom attended David Lipscomb Campus School (now Lipscomb Academy) and earned degrees from Lipscomb University. The Davises became deeply involved, serving on the Parents Advisory Committee and helping lead fundraisers in the mid-1990s that raised around $12 million for the campus school.
In 1999, then-university president Steve Flatt invited Davis to join the university's board of trustees. Seven years later, during a July 2006 board meeting, everything changed.
The university announced plans to explore starting a College of Pharmacy and brought in a nationally known consultant in pharmacy education—Dr. Joseph Dean, Davis' longtime friend from pharmacy school.
"When the board asked who should be dean, Joe suggested me," Davis said with a laugh. "I just looked at him and dropped my forehead to the table."
Retirement had been on the horizon. But the opportunity to establish a pharmacy program at the institution his family loved was too significant to pass up. In 2007, Davis became founding dean of Lipscomb's College of Pharmacy, leading its accreditation and serving until 2018, when he was named vice provost for health affairs before retiring in 2020.
"Students can go to pharmacy school anywhere, graduate and be licensed and enjoy a nice life," Davis reflects. "But what sets Lipscomb apart is the relationship between students and professors. Our 'open door' policy provides direct access to faculty anytime. I told students during recruitment, 'If you come to Lipscomb and only get your degree, we have failed you. A 50-year relationship begins when you start here—you'll have friends and colleagues in Christ for the next 50 years.'"
That philosophy of nurturing relationships and investing in the next generation led the Davises to establish multiple scholarships using qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), a method of donating directly from their IRAs. They created the E.L. and Opal Davis Memorial Pharmacy Scholarship in 2020 and the R. Alfred and Pauline White Memorial Pharmacy Scholarship in 2018, honoring both sets of parents.
"First, we wanted to honor our parents, who were all faithful Christians and led blessed lives after World War II," Davis explained. "They taught and raised us in church and in the faith. Second, higher education today is expensive, and we need to provide an environment where students can learn and develop their faith. The world needs people of character, strong faith and integrity—those who understand God's desire for this world and are strong enough to walk it out."
Following Nancy's death on Nov. 22, 2021, after a long battle with cancer, Davis established the Nancy W. Davis Endowed Memorial Scholarship for nutrition and dietetics students, honoring her love of cooking traditional Southern meals and experimenting with new ingredients. Food was the hallmark of hospitality in their home—an opportunity to use skills she believed were a gift from God to serve others.
"God has blessed us way above our needs," Davis said. "Nancy and I both believed we have a responsibility to share what God has blessed us with—not only providing for our children and grandchildren, but helping others who want to do great things. I still believe that's what God intends for us all to do—help take care of the next generation."
From a six-year-old boy mesmerized by a small-town pharmacist to a founding dean shaping future healthcare leaders, Roger Davis has lived out his parents' expectations beautifully—and ensured that others can do the same.
And Mr. Dee? A plaque in the Burton Health Sciences Building exists for today's pharmacy students to learn about the man whose inspiration years ago unknowingly prescribed the future for their time at Lipscomb—a testament to a remarkable legacy they’re encouraged to continue.
To learn more about setting up a scholarship through planned giving or becoming a member of the A.M. Burton Society, contact Paul Stovall, senior director of gift planning, at paul.stovall [at] lipscomb.edu (paul[dot]stovall[at]lipscomb[dot]edu )or 615.966.5251.