Russell Lee Davis

Russ made his entrance into this world in Big Spring on a hot west Texas summer day, the first and only son of Dorothy Hale Davis and J.C. Davis Jr. His first home was on a cotton farm outside Ackerly, but it wasn’t long before the Davis family piled into the family station wagon and headed off to settle into life in the big city of Midland.

Russ attended school at James Bowie Elementary, but his summer evenings were spent with his sisters and a gang of neighborhood kids, playing “kick-the-can, building blanket forts and reenacting “Wagon Train” in the Midland Draw. He went on to attend San Jacinto Junior High, Midland High School and The University of Texas at Austin.

In the 1960’s he spent his summers at Prude Ranch Summer Camp in Ft. Davis. There he developed a love of horseback riding.

He worked for a summer on an off-shore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, but soon decided to trade in his steel-toed work boots for the western boots of a Texas Oil and Gas Landman. For more than 30 years he worked in small town courthouses in Texas and eastern Kentucky where he became a whiz at running titles.

Russ loved his work and was a professional in every sense of the word. He was a member of the American Association of Professional Landmen.

On May 26, 1990, he married Sheba McQueen in Pine Mountain, Kentucky and as part of the dowry he gained a son Clint McQueen.

He is survived by his mother Dorothy Hale Davis, his sister Diane Davis and wife Celia Malin, his sister Debbie Grimsley and husband David, his nephew Trey Bauchman and wife Jenna, two grand nephews, Jack and Henry Bauchman. He is also survived by his ex-wife Sheba and her son Clint. He was predeceased by his father J.C. Davis, Jr. and his nephew Todd Bauchman.

Russ enjoyed working, talking about his work, fishing, watching movies, horseback riding, golfing and eating good food. Due to his job, he ate many of his meals in small town cafes which he loved, but his favorite food was home cooking.

Russ was a person of integrity who could always be counted on to do the right thing in all situations. He was a loyal, dependable, loving son, brother and friend. We will miss his dry sense of humor and his political diatribes. His death leaves a hole in our hearts, but we are glad that he is finally at peace after a five year battle with cancer.

A graveside service will be held at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery, 2800 Hancock Drive, Austin, TX 78731 at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 27, 2016. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the charity of your choice or you might watch a good movie or catch a big fish in his memory.

To share condolence with the family, please visit www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com.