Douglas R. Davis, 89, died Sunday evening June 2, 2019 at his home in Austin, Texas following a short bout of ill health. There will be a visitation at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, TX 78705 from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Monday June 10, 2019 followed by a graveside service at 10:00 AM Tuesday June 11 in Austin Memorial Park, 2800 Hancock Dr, Austin, TX 78731.
Doug, as he was known, was born August 4th, 1929 to Roy W. and Annie V. Davis and grew up on East First Street, now East Cesar Chavez Street in Austin, Texas. He attended Metz Elementary School and graduated from Austin High School in 1946. During his time as a student he worked at several different part time jobs, most notably delivering the Austin American Statesman newspaper for years in downtown Austin. After graduation, he attended Texas A&M for one year but then left to try his hand at various occupations looking for a career. One day while walking down Congress Avenue in downtown Austin, he was enticed to enter an Air Force recruiting station. It turned into one of the most momentous decisions of his life as his career in the United States Air Force influenced almost every part of his life since then.
After enlisting in the Air Force as a Private (now called Airman) in 1948, Doug’s aptitude and performance over the next few years earned him a chance to attend Officer Candidate School and upon completion he continued to advance through the ranks as a commissioned officer, retiring as a Lt. Colonel in 1974. While primarily involved with secure military communications during his Air Force career, he was required to relocate frequently, including tours of duty in both Vietnam and Korea. In 1949 during an assignment at Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile, Alabama he met and married Margaret E. Trawick of Mobile. Over the next 25 years as they relocated to multiple duty stations in the US as well as overseas in places like England, Japan and the Philippines, they still managed to successfully raise 3 sons. Earlier this year they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
After retiring from the Air Force, Doug searched for ways to channel his energy and discipline to productive ends, and after remaining in Massachusetts until his youngest son graduated from high school in 1975, he relocated back to Austin, Texas to be close to his elderly parents. There he and his wife formed a decorative ceramics business creating various types of ceramic objects and travelling to shows and other events around the state to display and sell them. Also at this time he became interested in woodworking and developed into a very capable craftsman in that area too. One other thing that he began devoting time to was delving into his family history. Doug was a direct descendant of George W. Davis who immigrated to Texas when it was still part of Mexico. Because of his service in the War for Texas Independence George was granted a homestead in what is now part of North Austin. As Doug’s grandfather had done before him, he continued tracking the connections of the family with Austin which led to him taking up maintenance of the George W. Davis Historical Family Cemetery in North Austin.
Doug is survived by his wife Margaret and sons Dwight (wife Ara) and Jeff, all of Austin (another son Michael died in 1972); grandsons through Dwight and Ara, Michael (wife Brandy) of Cedar Park, Texas and Patrick of Austin; and great-grandchildren through Michael and Brandy, Scarlett and Wesley. He is also survived by his younger brother Doyle Davis of San Antonio, Texas and his wife and family as well as numerous cousins and other relations of the extended Davis family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Air Force Aid Society in memory of Douglas R. Davis.
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