Richard Jones "Dick" Davis

Obituary

Richard Jones "Dick" Davis, 86, died Sunday in Garden Plaza Residential Center, in Cleveland, Tenn. Mr. Davis was a combat veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served in the Philippines and in Okinawa during World War II.

Mr. Davis was preceded in death by his father, James Frazier Davis, and his mother, Elizabeth Coulter Davis, both of Dayton, Tenn., his brother Thomas Lavins Davis, and by his first wife Margaret Ann Hawkins Davis of Huntsville, Ala.

Mr. Davis is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mary Katharine (Katie) Davis, also of Cleveland. He is also survived by five children, Richard J. (Rick) Davis Jr. (Debbie), of Birmingham, Ala., Alta Suzanne (Susie) Degennaro (Loui), of Upper Marlboro, Md., Elizabeth (Liz) Coulter Turpin (Barry ) of Cleveland; James F. (Bo) Davis of Knoxville, Tenn., and Cornelia Katharine Marcrom (Pat) of Cleveland.

Mr. Davis is survived by nine grandchildren, John David Shumpert (Amy), Melissa Suzanne Jenkins, Richard Lee Turpin, Mary Katherine (Katie) Turpin, Tyler Patrick Marcrom, Mae Margaret Davis, Annie Coulter Davis, Kathryn LeAnn Davis Loveday (Kody) and Joseph Martin (Jody) Davis. He is survived by three great-grandchildren, Macie Shumpert, Emma Shumpert and Paul Loveday. He is also survived by two nieces, Elizabeth (Beth) McNabb Weinbaum (Joel) of Decatur, Ala., and Gail Davis Oveissy (Hassan) of Houston, Texas.

Mr. Davis was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., March 30, 1928, and grew up in Decatur and Dayton, Tenn. He was a student at Rhea County High School when, at age 16, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Upon completion of basic training in San Diego, he was assigned to service in the Pacific Fleet aboard the USS William Clark, the USS Joseph Priestley, and the USS Harkness. At Okinawa, he survived multiple kamikaze attacks on the U.S. fleet, anchored in Okinawa harbor. Upon completion of hostilities in Japan, his convoy was returning home to the U.S. when it was struck by a cyclone in the western Pacific. Eight ships in the convoy were sunk, but he credited his captain with saving the lives of his shipmates. "He was a true sailor, and he ordered the helm to turn the ship into the force of the storm," he recalled. "If he hadn't done that, we would have capsized and sunk, too."

Mr. Davis was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946, received his GED from high school and enrolled at the University of Tennessee. While at UT he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, and played basketball for Coach Emmett Lowery his freshman year. He gave up basketball and went to work for pay for his education. After college, he married and returned to Dayton to work in the family's business, Coulter Funeral Home. He moved to Huntsville, Ala., in 1955 and later was employed by Burroughs Business Machines in Chattanooga. In 1964 he purchased a part-ownership in Commercial Office Supply in Cleveland, Tenn., and then later a partnership in Crabtree Insurance Co., also in Cleveland. He was an active member of St. Luke's Episcopal church in Cleveland.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, October 8, 2014, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, in the Parish Hall from 11:00 AM until 12:30 PM. A celebration of his life will be held at 12:30 PM in the church sanctuary. A graveside service will follow at Decatur Cemetery in Decatur, Tenn. and will conclude with military honors.

In Lieu of flowers the family requests donations to St. Luke's Episcopal Church 320 Broad Street NW, Cleveland, TN 37311, or to Bellfounte Baptist Church, 132 Bellefounte Road, Cleveland, TN 37312.

You are encouraged to share a memory of Mr. Davis and/or your personal condolences with his family by visiting his memorial web page and guestbook at www.companionfunerals.com.

Companion Funeral Home and the Cody family are honored to assist the Davis family with his arrangements.


Visitation Details
11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Wednesday, October 8th, 2014
St. Luke's Episcopal Church Parrish Hall
320 Broad Street NW
Cleveland, TN 37311

Interment
Wednesday, October 8th, 2014

Celebration of Life Service Details
12:30 PM
Wednesday, October 8th, 2014
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
320 Broad Street NW
Cleveland, TN 37311

Decatur Cemetery
following the serivce