Bill Davis - In Tune Dawg

Bill describes his childhood physique as “cubbish” and was “sort of OK” in sports growing up in Natchitoches, Louisiana.  He excelled in sports that did not involve endurance, like ping pong and badminton.  Music was in the family genes as Bill’s father was the band director at Northwestern State College (now Northwestern State University of Louisiana).  Bill graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Music and Masters in Music degrees.   While a Jay Hawk, he met his bride of over forty years, Jolene.  Bill completed graduate school at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York earning a Doctors of Music Arts degree.

Bill on left with his brother BobLike many of us in the Vietnam era, the Army decided that Bill should be in tune with the service.  Bill was unable to draw combat pay while stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco.  As a member of the Adjutant General Branch (human resources for you non military types), Bill was selected as the Sixth Army Staff Band Officer.  As Bill described it, he “did a job for the Army that he was qualified to do”.  He traveled in the then Sixth Army area (the northwestern United States) inspecting National Guard and Army Reserve Military Bands.  His new bride also enjoyed being stationed near the ocean, the Sierras, wine country and a multitude of cultural attractions.  The units he inspected were located in prime vacation areas such as Seattle, Phoenix, Portland, Los Angles, Reno and Salt Lake City to name a few.      

Jessica, Katie, Jolene and BillLife after military service found Bill as a full time bassoonist/contrabassoonist with the San Antonio Orchestra.  Bill next became a faculty member of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas (better known as WTAMU or What am you!).   In 1981 Bill accepted a position at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia, relocating his family to Athens.  At UGA he taught bassoon, composition and theory, later becoming involved in the school of music administration. 

Bill retried from UGA a couple of years ago.  Since they are empty nesters Bill and Jolene have been doing a lot of traveling with their trusty pop up trailer camper that they purchased in 2008. Their daughters Jessica and Katie were born in 1984 and 1986 respectively.  Jessica now lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where she is Executive Director of the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra.  Katie works for the Democratic Party of Kansas and resides in Wichita. Bill and Jolene’s favorite trips are those that involve camping and Bill running one or more races.  Their next trip will be in April when Bill turns sixty-five.  They will be heading  to St. Louis, Missouri where Bill will run the St. Louis Marathon.     

Bill started running in 2003 at age 54 after trying to starve off unwanted pounds.  Bill found that races and participating in running series are “milestones” for the greater goal of keeping fit” and the people who run in them are “pretty amazing!” Without naming a favorite race, Bill likes any race at Sandy Creek Park (with or without the “dam hill”).  Bill has completed fourteen marathons with the first being Tybee.  His philosophy is to run the first twenty miles slowly, then run walk the next 5K portion, and finally “walk, shuffle, limp, or crawl the final leg”.  

Bob checking out from the back of the pack.  Look for the profile of Barbara Nasworthy and the profile of youthful senior runner Randy Ballew.

Jocelyn Davis - A Firefighters Dream

Jocelyn is a lifetime Athens native but spent her childhood weekends in Hiawassee, Georgia where she traveled to see her grandparents and enjoyed playing in the North Georgia Mountains.  As a teenager, she attended and graduated from Clarke Central where she was a member of the Cross Country team. Jocelyn admits to not being very fast but she enjoyed and appreciated the camaraderie with team members.  Her love for running was initiated during this period but she did not have the reward of personal accomplishments.      

Jocelyn’s education continued at the University of Georgia where she achieved Honors status and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in social science education.  During her collegiate career, Jocelyn was a counselor at Rock Eagle and Wahsega 4-H Centers.  Her running during these stints consisted of running to the cottages, hollering for recreation activities and hiking.

Jocelyn taught middle school for five years before returning to UGA earning a Master’s in Social Science Education degree acquired attending night classes.  During this busy period in her life, she started entering Athens area 5K races.  Like many of us, Jocelyn suffered from pre registration anxiety-if you registered for a race you show up!  She enjoyed the Saturday morning races and their different routes through Athens.   Jocelyn found racing acquaintances that transitioned into friends.  Running and participating in the race series became like “supportive team”.  

Jocelyn married husband Ryan, a firefighter, who got the hots for her.  She completed her Educational Specialist degree in School Leadership Administration from North Georgia.   She currently teaches at Winder Barrow High School where she devotes extra curriculum time to coaching the cheerleading squad.  When Ryan is occupied Jocelyn enjoys knitting, playing with her miniature schnauzer Roxie and serves as an advisor to her college sorority, the Delta Zeta chapter at UGA.

Running has become a constant in her life and she feels “out of balance without running with her friends”.  She relishes her accomplishment of completing the Chicago Marathon with the Darius Goes West running group.  Jocelyn’s favorite races include the Elberton Granite Bowl Twilight Stroll and the Naples Florida Half Marathon.  Jocelyn doesn’t know her PRs but she is always “happy and feels good at the end of a race”.  Jocelyn states that she appreciates the running community for “their gracious spirit and loving hearts.”  She is also “delighted to stand on the starting line with them every chance she gets”.

Jocelyn finished first in the competitive 30-34 female age group in the Clover Glove Race series and third in her age group in the Black Bag Race series.        

Bob checking out from the back of the pack.  Look for the profiles of retired but not yet exhausted UGA professor Bill Davis and Pine Mountain’s pride Barbara Nasworthy.