Rex Lloyd Davis

Rex Lloyd Davis was born in Des Moines, Iowa on December 29, 1929 and passed away on May 4, 2021. His father was Leon Mack Davis and his mother, Mercedes Johanna Lamar Davis. He is survived by his wife, JoAnne, his daughter, Kris Crowe, his grandson, Kenny Crowe III and his great grandsons, Jackson, Theseus and Alaric and a host of extended family and friends who he considered family. His son Craig predeceased him in 2005.

Rex graduated from East High School in Des Moines, Iowa in 1947. In 1952, he graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa at the age of 22 with an LLB and a JD. He married his high school sweetheart, JoAnne Richard on April 14, 1952 and this past April, they celebrated 69 years of marriage.

In 1952, he took the bar examination and was admitted to practice law in both the State of Iowa and in the Federal Courts. After college graduation, he worked in the Polk County Sheriff’s office in Des Moines and left there as Chief Civil Deputy in 1954. He then began his employment with Employers Mutual Casualty Company of Des Moines in the Claims department and worked there from 1954 to 1961. It was during this time that his two children were born. His daughter, Kristine Lynn and his son, Craig Thomas. The family moved from Des Moines to Phoenix, Arizona where Rex became the Branch Manager of the Employers Mutual office there from 1961 to 1965. In 1965, the family moved to Cherry Hill, New Jersey where Rex became the Vice President and Manager of the Philadelphia Branch office from 1965 to 1970.

In 1969, Rex was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Additionally, after extensive study, he earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations.

At the end of 1970, the family moved to Houston, Texas, where Rex joined the Ranger Group (Ranger Insurance Company, Ranger Lloyds, Ranger American Insurance Limited, Bermuda, Ranger County Mutual and Ranger Allied Underwriters, Inc.) From 1971 to 1984, he was successively Executive Vice President, President, COO, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Ranger Group. He also represented Ranger as a director of the Board of Alliance Reinsurance Management Company during this time.

After leaving Ranger, he was involved with the following organizations: Rex L. Davis and Associates, Inc., United Republic Reinsurance Company where he was President and Chairman; Old Republic Standard Insurance Company where he was Vice President and Legal Counsel, Old Republic Insurance Company and Old Republic Standard Managing General Agency as President. He was also recognized in Marquis WHOS WHO in America in Insurance and Finance.

Rex served in the US Army Reserves achieving the rank of Major. He was a member of the Society of CPCU and CLU, the Houston Bar Association and Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity. He was a board member of the Houston Salvation Army and the Houston School for Deaf Children. He also volunteered with the Saint Vincent DePaul Society.

He also enjoyed golfing as often as he could with his friends whether for fun or in a tournament. He looked forward to the Houston Shell Open every year so he could serve as a Hole Marshal on behalf of Lakeside CC.

Rex was a lifelong learner and prior to his death, he was taking an online course studying the Constitution. After “retirement”, he took tap dance lessons even performing in two recitals, took Spanish lessons and banjo lessons. He was a member of the MC Gang that met every Friday at Memorial City Mall. He proudly helped and participated in their patriotic celebrations held at the Mall. He loved Big Band music and he and his wife were avid dancers. They were instrumental in organizing “The Agnes Maule Dance Club” at the Petroleum Club. And they were a part of the “Lamplighters Dance Club” at Lakeside Country Club where they were members for over 40 years.

In his later years, he and his wife enjoyed the company and fellowship of their friends in Our Lady of Fatima Guild of St. Cecelia’s Catholic Church.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at 10:00 am at St. Cecelia’s Catholic Church at 11720 Joan of Arc in Houston, Texas. Funeral mass will be held immediately following the visitation at 11:00 am. Committal Service will be held on May 19, 2021 at 3:00 pm at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas.

His pallbearers are Kenny Crowe, III, Mike Batts, Kenny Crowe, Jr., Pete Diez, Nicholas Justus and Daedra Logan.