William Richard "Dick" Davis

William Richard “Dick” Davis, our Dad and Grandpa, was taken home by the Lord on August 27th, 2022. Dad is no longer suffering and we look to the day that we are together again. We can only imagine Dad’s reunion with those who predeceased him, particularly his infant son, Richard Hugo Davis and his mother, Mildred Blessing Davis. Dad’s final days were filled with listening to his favorite music, listening to the reading his of favorite books, and listening to heartfelt stories of the impact he made on his family and loved ones.

Dad is loved and remembered by his son, Scott and wife, Katrina Davis and their children, Valerie, Rebecca and Scotty of Signal Mountain, his son, Richard “Rick” and wife, Sharon Davis of Ft. Defiance, AZ, and his son, Sean and wife, Sherry Davis of Hendersonville, NC. He is also loved and remembered by his former spouse and mother of his children, Clara M. Chase of Delavan, IL. We want to send our love and a heartfelt thank you to Dad’s close friend and constant companion of the last five years, Doris “Lovetta” Miller, who meant so much to Dad. Lovetta was Dad’s guardian angel who showered him with loving kindness, kept him active and engaged, and made sure that his needs were being met by his caregivers.

Dad was an amazing man who worked hard to rise above his difficult and humble beginnings to create a better life for himself and for his family. His intellectual capacity was beyond our comprehension. We are fortunate that, although Dad’s intelligence skipped a generation, we see it in his grandchildren. Dad’s toughness is legendary. We all wanted to be the man Dad was. He faced many obstacles and hardships with quiet dignity and determination. From being placed with his brothers in a children’s home to serving in the United States Air Force to becoming an aerospace engineer and later a business leader, Dad set a high bar for us to emulate.

More important than his professional accomplishments were Dad’s contributions to society. Dad was active and involved in his sons’ lives. Dad guided us from Cub Scouts through Boy Scouts and was particularly proud of us attaining Eagle Scout. We each followed Dad’s footsteps by serving our country in the military.

However, Dad’s leadership and mentorship was not limited to his sons. Because he was raised without a father, Dad felt compelled to mentor other young men. Dad was the Scout Master of troops in Minnesota, Troop 64 and Troop 8 in Chickamauga, GA and troops in San Angelo, TX. We did not understand the impact that Dad had on other boys until years later when his former Scouts, who had become successful family men themselves, would tell us how much Dad influenced them. In particular, at least three of these young men called Dad “amazing” when recalling what Dad meant to them. We thought he was just our Dad. But, they are right. Dad was amazing.

Dad was also a Shriner serving in a clown unit visiting children in hospitals.

In lieu of flowers, if you wish to honor Dad, please think about making a contribution, whether time or money, to your local Scouting organization or children’s hospital.

Graveside services will be held on Friday, September 2nd at 10:30 a.m. at the Chattanooga National Cemetery with military honors and officiated by Dr. Gregg Hauss. We recognize that many of Dad’s peers have preceded him, but welcome all who wish to attend.

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