At age 102, the Honorable Keith Davison ’49 might be one of Minnesota Law’s oldest living alumni. He has led a rich and varied life, from serving as a small-town lawyer to a Minnesota District Court judge, flying himself to courtrooms across the state to entertaining people as a tuba and bass player in dance bands.
And though he earned a stellar reputation as a successful lawyer and a fair jurist, Davison became known worldwide in 2017 when he built a swimming pool in his backyard to entertain the children in his Morris neighborhood. Media outlets across the country and the pond published stories about the veteran and retiree who found a sweet cure for loneliness after his wife of 65 years died.
“Nobody has had more fun than I,” says Davison, who kept flying until 90 and still makes music. “I made my living in law, but I also spent a lot of time flying and playing instruments. I might be trying a serious case during the week, and then on the weekend I’m playing music and singing songs like ‘Bad, Bad Leroy Brown.’ Not exactly judicial, but it was great because I had to be serious all week.”
Davison was serious about his career, joining a practice in Wheaton, Minnesota, after law school to get his foot in the door. He thoroughly enjoyed counseling and representing clients, whether it involved estate law, business matters, or work for county governments. Davison maintained a thriving practice that drew clients from the East and West Coasts, finding all of the hard work fulfilling.
Funny thing is, Davison hadn’t dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Minnesota Law opened the door for him—news he learned while stationed on New Guinea during World War II. Davison had written to the University of Minnesota with a question — likely about continuing his education there after the war ended. He had started college at the University in Fall 1941 and enlisted in the Army after Pearl Harbor. Davison had intended to pursue engineering, but a year of study at the University of Arkansas during his Army service cured him of that idea.
Then came the reply to his letter from Dean Everett Fraser of the Law School. Minnesota Law would admit Davison, where he could complete a bachelor’s degree in law and then a law degree in four years total. Davison didn’t plan to practice — he was more interested in becoming an FBI agent.
“Then I got to the Law School, and it fascinated me,” Davison says. He finished both degrees in three years by attending summer classes. When it came time to look for a job, Davison says his prospects weren’t great in the Twin Cities. Instead, he returned to his rural roots, where he spent most of his childhood during the Depression. Davison joined the practice of two seasoned lawyers in Wheaton, a population of about 2,000, and got the on-the-job training he needed to succeed.
Davison spent 23 years practicing as a small-town lawyer. Over time, he developed a specialty representing utility cooperatives that were electrifying rural areas in Minnesota and North Dakota. “I had a very good practice of law, and it was exciting and lucrative,” he says. “I was busy from the day I got to Wheaton.”
Governors twice asked him to serve as a judge, but he didn’t want to take a pay cut. Once his three children got older, Davison decided to accept the third offer. He served as a Minnesota District Court judge in the Eighth District for 18 years until 1993, when he hit the mandatory retirement age of 70. Whether he was working as a lawyer or a judge, Davison most enjoyed jury trials. Both roles were stressful in different ways, he says. As an attorney, Davison felt pressure to do a good job for clients and help them solve their problems. As a judge, he knew that his rulings would be life-changing for all parties in court.
Davison’s nephew, Craig Nelson ’75, was inspired to become a lawyer by his uncle’s career. When he was in law school and as a litigator, Nelson and Davison often talked about Minnesota Law, the legal profession, and numerous changes over the years. They had plenty to discuss. When Davison started practicing, justices of the peace — nonlawyers — would preside in country courtrooms because there was only one judge for the six-county region. He saw courtroom procedures change during the Warren Court and the shift away from jury trials for non-criminal cases.
Nelson was always impressed by Davison’s adaptability. Many of the same qualities that made him an excellent lawyer translated to the bench. “Keith is a very personable guy, very common sense. People who knew him and worked with him considered him a good judge and fair,” Nelson says. “There are a lot of opportunities for people to be upset with you when you make decisions. But I think that win or lose, when you were in his courtroom, you felt like you got a fair shake.”
When Davison retired, he spent the next two decades traveling the world with his wife, Evelyn, often piloting the plane himself. Davison also maintained his lifelong love of music — he played in the University’s marching band and concert band — by performing regularly with dance bands until age 100. Davison hasn’t stopped playing music, though. Just recently, he got his hands on a more manageably sized baritone. And the Maroon and Gold continues to run deep. A devout Gopher fan, Davison and his three children attend football games wherever the team is playing.
After Evelyn died, the quiet was too painful for Davison. He sought a way to bring joy and laughter back to his house. So he had a swimming pool constructed in his backyard and opened its doors for the children of Morris to use, with their parents on lifeguard duty. After all, he’s had a good life and wants to make sure others do, too.