Mr. Davis was born Feb. 12, 1921 in Somerville, Mass. He was a retired engineer who served 38 years with the General Electric Company. Mr. Davis also served in WWII as a naval officer. He was a member of Tryon Presbyterian Church and he and Betty, his wife, were charter members of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville for over 20 years.

Mr. Davis was tireless in service to others. He served as the newsletter editor for The Retired Officers Association (TROA) of Western North Carolina, a post he held for 13 years. Mr. Davis was an avid private pilot who treasured his time flying single engine Cessnas. He was especially proud of winning the annual flying competition of his flying club, the Mountain Flyers of Hendersonville.

Through the Red Cross, Mr. and Mrs. Davis served as volunteers to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Oteen, N.C., for 17 years, and when they felt that was too much for them, they volunteered at the local Red Cross Bloodmobile.

Mr. Davis took great pleasure in traveling extensively with his wife. He was the treasurer of the Tryon residents association and volunteered hundreds of hours instructing others on the use of computers. He was an enthusiastic photographer and enjoyed sharing these photos with family and friends. Mr. Davis had incredible musical talent and committed many hours to playing the trumpet and singing in the choir.

Mr. Davis believed strongly in the importance of higher education as evidenced by his graduation from Tufts University and many years later, helping provide his four grandchildren the means to graduate from respectable universities. Mr. Davis loved God, his family, this country and living life to the fullest.

Mr. Davis was the son of the late Reuel L. Davis and the late Florence Chapman Davis of Beverly Farms, Mass. He was preceded in death by his sister, Betsy J. Davis.

Mr. Davis is survived by his wife of 61 years, Betty V. (Schott) Davis, whom he met in Balboa Park, San Diego, as the young Navy nurse on her way to assignment at Aiea Heights Hospital, Pearl Harbor; two sons, John R. Davis and his wife Helene (Pomazon) Davis of Marietta, Ga. and Paul E. Davis and his wife, Leslie M. (Plumlee) Davis of Atlanta, Ga. Also surviving are four grandchildren, Amanda A. Davis Nall and her husband, Danny Nall, Jeremiah J. Davis, Olivia O. Davis and Genevieve G. Davis.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 2 p.m. in the Tryon Estates Auditorium, 617 Laurel Lake Drive, Columbus, (828) 894-3000.

At the request of the family, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Tryon Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 430 Harmon Field Rd., Tryon, N.C. 28782.

An online guest register is available for signing at www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com

McFarland Funeral Chapel of Tryon is in charge of arrangements.

‐ paid obituary