Obituary of Dr. Jake Avis, Jr.
(C. Avis Catalog entry #136)
(Document #499)
Austin American
2-22-1961
p. 1
Rifle Shot Fatal For Austin Man
A well-known Austin dentist. Dr. Jake Avis Jr., 39, died Tuesday afternoon of a gunshot wound sustained shortly before noon at his home at 1510 Rainbow Bend.
The tragedy was discovered by two painters working across the street.
A. G. Wadford of 1201 Newton Road and A. P. Childers of 4608 Lyons Road told police they had just returned from lunch when they heard a man shouting at the front door of the Avis home. They said he frantically motioned for them to come to him.
They raced across the street and found the dentist wounded. Wadford quoted Dr. Avis as saying he had shot himself accidentally. Wadford called a Hyltin-Manor ambulance while Childers remained with Avis. Although believed to have been wounded about 11:30 a.m., he still was conscious when he reached Brackenridge Hospital emergency room at 1:15 p.m. He died at 1:35 p.m.
Police Lieutenant Merle Wells, Sergeant Ed Tramp and Patrolman Edward Silvanage said a gun closet was open in the living room of the Avis home. The death weapon, a .22 caliber rifle, was lying in front of the closet. Several other weapons were in the closet.
A coroner's verdict was pending late Tuesday, Justice of the Peace J. H. Watson said.
Avis attended the University of Texas and Texas A&M and graduated from the University of Texas Dental School. He had practiced dentistry here 10 years. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II, and was a member of the board of deacons of University Presbyterian Church.
Avis is survived by his widow; two sons, David Martin Avis and Charles Chiles Avis; and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Avis Sr., all of Austin. Funeral services tentatively were scheduled for Thursday at Weed-Corley Funeral Home.