Jessica Gwyn Davis passed away on January 26th, 2026 in Fort Collins, CO at the age of 63.  She was born to Daniel and Goentje Davis in Charlotte, Michigan on May 20, 1962.  She graduated from Abington High School in Pennsylvania (1980), Cornell University (1983, B.S. Agronomy), Texas Tech University (1984, M.S. Soil Science), Texas A&M University (1989, Ph.D. Soil Science), and Boston University (2012, Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship). She married Jack Rainey in 1986, who passed away in 1987. Jessica was on the faculty of the University of Georgia from 1989-1995, and moved to Colorado State University in 1995.  She married LaVern “Swanie” Swanson in 1997 and has two amazing children, Maya Swanson and Peter Swanson. While in hospice she told her siblings “There’s only one highlight of my life. Having the honor of being Mom to Maya and Peter (aka her little monkeys).” She is also survived by her father Daniel Davis (Carol) and siblings Erik Davis (Jill), Emily Abraham (Alejandro), and Marc Davis (Susan). As well as, her step-son Shade Swanson his wife Cathy Swanson and her grandchildren Adam Swanson and Isabella Swanson. Jessica was also deeply connected with her German family. Her mother Goentje Davis who passed in 2003 was born in Germany.  Predeceased  by her Uncle Till Schargorodsky (Hilde) and is survived by her cousins Nina Schargorodsky (Jörg), Jonas Schargorodsky, Julia Bachmann, und Svea Schargorodsky. Jessica had many passions including birding, painting, singing, communing with nature, and nourishing relationships with loved ones.

Jessica cared deeply about the world and people near and far. Her dream was to “end world hunger”. During her distinguished career, she was the first female to hold a number of positions, found on her legacy page. She was unwavering in her belief and practice of helping others. Jessica’s social justice work includes volunteering with many food access organizations, helping individuals seeking asylum, and supporting the growth and inclusion of those from historically excluded identities.

Professional Life: (excerpts from her CSU Legacy Award)

Jessica was a pioneer and leader of numerous initiatives during her time at CSU. In recognition of her pioneering leadership in research, teaching, and extension, she became the first fully-promoted female professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences in 2001.

She was the first CSU female faculty fellow of any of the Tri-Society organizations. She is an elected fellow of the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Science Society of America, and the Society of Soil and Water Conservation. Due to her focus on soil fertility and manure management, she built bridges between the Departments of Soil and Crop Sciences and Animal Sciences. The department, college, university, national, and global agricultural communities have all benefited from Dr. Davis’ visionary and self-less contributions. She is truly a legend whose impacts will be felt for generations.

One of Jessica’s key contributions was her self-less commitment to creating opportunities for others. She had an extraordinary ability to see and support the realization of potential and excellence in people around her. She fostered international research collaborations that have supported training the next generation of scientists at multiple levels. Jessica had 42 grad students throughout her career, including 13 PhD and 29 Master’s students from Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Libya, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Thailand. And 4 of the Master’s students completed the Peace Corps Masters in Ecuador, Lesotho, Paraguay, Senegal.

She made a lasting impact through her leadership within CSU and through her professional service. She was elected as the President of American Society of Agronomy in 2016. During her tenure as president, she helped establish the first LGBQT+ community in the Tri-Societies and established the Women Farmers Presidential Award. She was one of the first female department heads in the CSU College of Agricultural Sciences, leading the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture from 2016-2021. Her research spanned diverse subject areas and geographies, while always maintaining a focus on serving the needs of producers of all scales. 

Spirals

A Journal Reflection by Jessica Gwyn Davis

1/10/2026

Maya’s analogy about being in the eye of a hurricane has gotten me thinking about spirals and their significance.

They are everywhere! In living and non-living nature (galaxies, tornadoes). From bacteria (spirulina, a cyanobacteria), fungi, plants (ferns), invertebrates (shells), reptiles (chameleon tails), and even mammals (horns, fingerprints), and DNA. Even manmade spirals (cave paintings, treasure maps, and labyrinths—Joanna Macy’s spiral drawings).

And I remember one from my PhD research 40 years ago—when roots are affected by aluminum toxicity, they lose their ability to sense gravity and grow in spirals instead of growing down.

So what meaning can I take from spirals?

• The eye of a hurricane is a low-pressure center.

• Joanna Macy’s spirals take place in time and illustrate the center as a beginning (of life and of humanity).

• When spirals are drawn by humans, they may signify a treasure, a water source, or home.

• In nature, spirals are seen by scientists as optimizing resource use efficiency, allowing growth without changing shape, and sometimes simply in response to the laws of physics (gravity and rotation).

• I am intrigued by the roots which cannot sense gravity, focusing on the space part of the space-time continuum, not J. Macy’s focus on time.

The cosmos spiral

I have been learning about where we are on Earth within the cosmos and have drawn a spiral to illustrate it.

Earth is the center—our home and where I feel safe, and where my conscious experience began and took root (see what I did there?!).

But when I leave Earth at the time of my passing, I will no longer sense gravity and will be released from its pull.

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