H.B. "Skip" Davis, Jr.

Skip is survived by his son Scot Davis and his wife, Billie; son Joe Davis and his wife, Barbara; son Adam Davis and his wife, Emily; his grandchildren: Julie, Austin, Katelyn, Dylan, Lauren, Bella and Patrick; sisters Sandra Whittington of Wichita, Kansas and Linda Sweeney and her husband Russell of Silver Springs, Florida. He is preceded in death by his mother and father.

Skip's father worked for Missouri Pacific Railroad, so the family lived in numerous locations in Illinois, Colorado, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas throughout his childhood. He graduated from Mary Carroll High School in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1964. From 1966 - 1969, Skip served in the United States Marine Corps. During two tours in the Vietnam conflict, Skip served as a crew chief and door gunner aboard a Huey gunship, meritoriously achieving the rank of corporal for his actions in combat. His service in Vietnam sparked a lifelong interest in flying helicopters and small planes.

Upon his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Skip served with the Houston Police Department from 1970 – 1977 as a patrol officer and a pilot in the helicopter division. While with HPD, Skip graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice.

After leaving HPD, Skip owned and operated a home building company before returning to flying helicopters. He flew for Life Flight programs in Austin, Tulsa, Texarkana, and Dayton, Ohio before retiring from flying.

For the last eleven years, Skip worked at University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, most recently as a Senior Facilities Project Manager in the Capital Planning and Management group.

Skip's ultimate passions in life were his family and woodworking. He was a proud father of three sons and grandfather of seven grandkids. He enjoyed spending time with all of them, and designing and building them unique treasures such as toy chests, clocks, cribs, bunk beds, airplane rocking chairs, memory chests, music boxes, cradles and high chairs. He also built other pieces for friends and family such as cabinets, tables and trim work for their homes. His attention to detail and ultimate perfection on each piece demonstrates his giving heart.

His friends are invited to visit with family from 5 until 7 PM on Sunday, October 24, 2010 in the Hunters Creek Chapel at Earthman Funeral Directors, 8303 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 11:30 AM on Monday, October 25, 2010 at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, 12955 Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas. Interment will immediately follow in Houston National Cemetery.

In lieu of customary remembrances, and for those desiring, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Skip’s name be directed to Wounded Warrior Project, 7020 AC Skinner Parkway, Suite 100, Jacksonville, Florida 32256 (www.WoundedWarriorProject.org).