W. R. Davenport

William Randolph "Randy" Davenport (President of Campbellsville University in Kentucky, 1969-1988)
Born	December 8, 1926 Pineville, Missouri Resident since 1969 of Campbellsville in Taylor County, Kentucky
Died	February 10, 2021 (aged 94)
Spouse	Janet Chambers Davenport (married 1947-2021, his death) Children: Martin "Marty", Mary, and Susan Davenport Liz Davenport Wilson Seven grandchildren Parents: Jesse Mitchell and Helene Vail Davenport
Religion	Southern Baptist
Military Service
Service/branch	United States Navy

William Randolph Davenport, also known as W. R. Davenport and Randy Davenport (December 8, 1925 – February 10, 2021), was a Southern Baptist educator who served from 1969 to 1988 as the president of Campbellsville University when it was still known as Campbellsville College. The institution is located in Campbellsbille in Taylor County in central Kentucky.

Background

Davenport was the fifth of six children of farmers Jesse Mitchell and Helene Vail Davenport, having been born in Pineville in McDonald County in far southwestern Missouri, where, according to his obituary, "he learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and love of family. Those early life lessons served him well, as he went on to accomplish much during his life."

Near the end of World War II, he enlisted in the United States Navy, which sent him for training at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. There he completed his bachelor's degree in chemistry. At U of L, he met his wife of seventh-three years, the former Janet Chambers (born November 15, 1927). He earned his master's and doctorate degrees in Education at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

There are four Davenport children: Marty (wife Sue), Mary, and Susan Davenport, and Liz Davenport Wilson. The first three graduated from Campbellsville College.

According to his obituary, Davenport "loved music, books, and poetry. Until his final days, he could still quote entire poems he had learned in his childhood."

Davenport in his early years.

Career

Davenport worked first as a teacher and principal in the public schools in several states. He was a professor and department chairman of education at both Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Flint campus of the University of Michigan. In 1969, he became president of Campbellsville College, a post which he filled until his retirement in December 1988. He received a Master of Science and a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He served at both the local and international levels as a past president of the Gideons International, a group which distributes Bibles where still permitted.

From 1976 to 1988, Davenport as CU president worked alongside Robert S. Clark, a former history professor and Baptist clergyman who became the vice-president for academic affairs.

Davenport was a longstanding member of the Campbellsville Baptist Church, at which he served at various times as choir director, Sunday school teacher and deacon. His obituary says that his "singular goal was to serve the Lord and find opportunities to present Jesus Christ to others." While CU president, he established in 1976 the Church Relations Council and thereafter the President's Club for recognition of donors. Both encourage financial contributions to the university. In 2013, the university honored Davenport with a special plaque for his insight in establishing the Church Relations Council.

Dr. James Edward Jones came to Campbellsville from Alabama in 1981 as pastor of Campbellsville Baptist Church, and he and Davenport became immediate prayer partners. Jones recalled that Davenport "was one of the most honest men I have ever met. He would come to my office every Tuesday morning, and we would get down on our knees and pray for the college." Jones said that Davenport was concerned about the college's financial status and would “pour out a prayer that would touch anyone’s heart. He knew how to talk to the Father.” Jones added that Davenport used his "godly ability to encourage others to help the college financially. He was definitely a man of deep prayer and commitment to Jesus Christ." He believed that the college had a great future. He was willing to fight for the college. He was a very kind man and was an encourager. He loved the students and wanted to know about them personally.”

In 2008, at the CU annual Heritage Day, Davenport, as the featured speaker, recalled that 60 percent of the existence of the university has been under four presidents. Davenport said that the pressures of serving as president are significant. Davenport noted that his presidential predecessor, Dr. John Mark Carter, Sr., who served from 1948 to 1968, "almost single handedly" led the college from two-year to four-year status. "We owe a great debt of gratitude to that man who literally sacrificed his health in the job. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us."

Davenport urged students to develop a "world view," an understanding of what they do in life and how to do it. "Look carefully at various points of view and come on the side of God who created this place. Things are a mess in a lot of places in the world. Sin entered the world, and everybody is working to fix the world, but what is wrong is that we sinned against God," he warned.

He recalled that donations from Ransdell Surgical Company in Louisville "kept the place solvent." The institution needed a lot of things when Davenport became president. "We have still not arrived. We are a work in progress," he said, noting the continued dependence on sacrificial donors.

When Davenport was sidelined with back problems in 2013, his wife said, “The Lord has done wonderful things, and he shows us we have a lot to be grateful for.”

The Davenport Student Commons at CU is named for the former president.

Davenport died at the age of ninety-five; services were held at Ransdell Chapel on the Campbellsville University campus on February 14, 2021; no burial site is mentioned in the obituary. The service was live-streamed on the CU television hookup.