He was born in the Red River Plains of Oklahoma to Jim Davenport and Dora Ashford Davenport on August 27, 1928.
When Travis was 19, a beautiful redhead captured his attention at a dance, and he spent the next 69 years by her side. Together Travis and Geraldine raised their children Ronnie, Pam and Mike and grew into a tight-knit clan that eventually included six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Travis mourned Gerald’s loss greatly these past three-plus years, and his family is comforted in knowing he no longer suffers their separation.
Travis worked hard most of his life to provide for those he loved, beginning at age 13 picking cotton. And—like many from his generation—he took any honest work he could find: pin setter at a bowling alley, grocery store butcher, garbage collector, refinery worker. He handed out thousands of pieces of Super Bubble over the 27 years he operated service stations in the Crosby and Huffman areas, most notably Davenport Exxon on Main Street Crosby. Even in retirement, Travis found a way to make his hobby into a job when he leased Indian Shores Golf Course with his brothers Bob and Wes.
Though his occupations were many and varied, Travis’ love of baseball was a constant in his life. He learned to pitch from his father, Jim, and Travis stood proudly on the pitcher’s mound everywhere from his high school in Soper, Oklahoma to the Yankees minor leagues. He knelt in his front yard in the evenings after work and taught his own sons to throw fastballs and curveballs. He stood by the dugout and sat in the stands to root for his grandchildren. And with the Astros game on in the background, he sat in his recliner and tossed a ball gently to his great-grandchildren.
Travis cherished his faith in God, time with his family, being a member of the Choctaw Nation, Geraldine’s German chocolate cake, any kind of sports competition, watching a good Western (and lots of mediocre ones too), and sweet tea. He said “Y’ello” when he answered the phone and “Gee-ads!” when he was surprised. In the late 50s and early 60s, Travis helped develop the Crosby Little League Association, known today as the Crosby Sports Association. He also held season tickets for Crosby High School football games from 1948 until the end of his life, continuing to purchase them long after his health allowed him to attend games. He was proud to call Crosby home.
Travis was preceded in death by his wife Geraldine Atchley Davenport; his son Mike Davenport and son-in-law, Ralph Blaha; his parents, Jim Davenport and Dora Ashford Davenport; his brothers James Davenport, Kirk Davenport, Gray Olson Davenport, John “Wes” Davenport, Jack Davenport, Bobby Jake “Bob” Davenport and Gary Buford, and his sisters, Fleda Dorthia Blankenship and Juanita Conca.
He is survived by his son, Ronald Travis Davenport and wife, Donna of Crosby; daughter, Pam Blaha of Crosby; daughter-in-law, Melinda Arwine and husband Les Arwine of Crosby; like-a-son, Wendel Johnson of Franklin; grandchildren, Amy and Chad Blaha and their children - Audrey and Travis, Shelley and Scott Stevens and their son - Owen, Ginny and Brad Blaha and their children - Tripp, Brodey, Abby and Gabe, Jennifer Davenport and husband John Dabkowski, Rhonda and Jared Barrett and their daughters, Riley and Tori, and Rebecca and Joe Martens; brother Billy Davenport and sister Kitty Ann Roark; and a multitude of nieces and nephews.
Travis’ family would like to extend a special thanks to Donna Morris, Amy Francois, Omnix Health, Home Care Family and Lilac Assisted Living for the compassionate care they gave him in his final years.
We regret that the current pandemic prevents us from having a public celebration of Travis’ life. His service will be streamed on the First Baptist Church of Crosby Facebook page at 10:00 am on Tuesday, October 13, 2020. In lieu of the usual remembrances the family asks for contributions to The Travis Davenport Memorial Fund at GoFundMe.com which will be used exclusively to support youth sports programs in Crosby.
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