Lou Davis, who reported on Maryland politics for more than three decades and established himself as a State House press corps elder statesman, died of pancreatic cancer Tuesday morning at his Millersville home. He was 79.
A well known figure in Annapolis, he worked the political beat until last year for Maryland Public Television and led coverage of the governor's annual State of the State speech.
He had earlier spent 21 years reporting politics for WMAR-TV as its Annapolis bureau chief.
Mr. Davis cultivated a wide circle of friends in political and news circles. Friends said he became a mentor to young journalists who sought his advice.
"Whether you were a politician, staff member or fledgling reporter, Lou was the person you turned to for guidance, insight and perspective," said Sue Kopen, a Philip Merrill College of Journalism lecturer at the University of Maryland. "You could find Lou at the Maryland Inn, after hours, working his story."
Over the years he achieved a singular Annapolis honor.
"He is the only non-politician to have a sandwich named for him at our business," said Ted Levitt, owner of Chick & Ruth's Delly on Main Street. It's the Number 109 — lox, eggs, onions and potatoes."
House Speaker Michael E. Busch called Mr. Davis "a great gentleman and a great reporter."
"He was widely respected, and an outstanding member of the media," said Delegate Busch, who recalled how lawmakers developed an annual award in Mr. Davis' honor — "The Louie" — to recognize outstanding broadcasters in the State House press corps.
"He was always professional, always prepared, always respectful of everyone," Delegate Busch said. "I'd go down to the bullpen and challenge people and Lou would ask insightful questions. He could talk about the history of the institution and the people who came before him and how things have evolved and changed.
"He was a good and decent man and dedicated his life to providing crucial insight into what happened in Annapolis," said Delegate Busch. "He also brought out the human aspect of individuals. I've never heard anyone say a bad word about Lou Davis. He was universally respected by legislators and colleagues alike."
Born Ludwig Davidsburg in Aschaffenburg, Germany, he fled the Nazi political regime with his parents shortly after Kristallnacht, according to his son, Josh Davidsburg, of Norfolk, Va.
Mr. Davis' father, Ernst, was a jeweler, and his mother, Ida, was a factory worker. His family settled in Newburgh, N.Y.
He was a graduate of Orange County Community College and later served in the Army in Japan.
He worked with the Armed Forces Television and Radio Services, then became a disc jockey and radio reporter in Poughkeepsie and went on to KYW Radio in Philadelphia, then WNEW Radio in New York City.
He joined NBC Network Television in New York in 1970 and spent a year in Vietnam as a war correspondent. He later reported on the Midwest and on the auto industry for NBC in Cleveland.
In 1974 he went to Atlanta at WSB, where he did political commentary. He won three Georgia Emmy Awards.
"Lou asked the right questions in a more empathetic way than accusatory," said a colleague, MPT's news anchor Jeff Salkin. "He could get answers that other reporters couldn't because he had developed relationships and was always an honest broker."
When he retired from WMAR-TV in 2003, a Baltimore Sun article called him "a news professional to the core" who "burrowed into stories gained from an expertise unsurpassed by any television reporter covering Maryland politics."
When the General Assembly was not in session, Mr. Davis covered news stories in Anne Arundel County and the Eastern Shore.
"As a reporter, he never burned anyone," said Don Harrison, his video photographer for many years who is now the ABC-2 Annapolis bureau chief. "His warm heart and personality came through in everything he did."
Mr. Davis worked at WMAR-TV for 21 years. On his final day, he was serenaded by a children's choir, and then-Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. gave a tribute during a surprise appearance on his newscast. Former Gov. William Donald Schaefer also made a videotape roast of Mr. Davis, The Sun reported.
"Lou was the consummate journalist. He didn't have an ax to grind. He didn't have an agenda," said Michael D. Golden, a former WFBR reporter and later spokesman for Mr. Schaefer during his years as state comptroller.
He said Mr. Davis was "a wonderful colleague. He was a gentleman and took the time to ask about you and your family."
Mr. Golden also said, "I liked his style. He was easygoing. He was not in your face. He was respectful of the people he was interviewing."
After leaving WMAR, Mr. Davis joined Maryland Public Television and regularly appeared Friday nights on the show, "State Circle." He worked until late 2015.
"Lou was an absolute icon, the textbook old-school reporter who relied on shoe leather, personal contacts and treating people well to get the stories nobody else got," said Mark A. Vernarelli, a former television reporter who is now with the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
Mr. Davis was inducted into the Gold Circle of the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Congregation Kol Shalom, 1909 Hidden Meadow Lane in Annapolis, where he was a member.
In addition to his son, survivors include his wife of 39 years, the former Laurene Weisberg, a retired Anne Arundel County special education teacher; another son, Andrew Davidsburg of New York City; and a sister, Shirley Rose of Sarasota, Fla.