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In Memory

Richard Arthur Davis - Class Of 1933 VIEW PROFILE

Richard Arthur Davis

 

 

 

 

RICHARD A. DAVIS

Sept. 27, 1915 - Jan. 13, 2009
SOUTH BEND - Richard A. "Dick" Davis, 93, of 52666 Kenilworth Road, died at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday of natural causes, in The Sunset House of Mishawaka, 12253 E. Jefferson Blvd., Mishawaka, IN 46545. He was born on September 27, 1915 in LaPorte, IN, to Arthur S. Davis and Louise Wendt.

Mr. Davis was a 1933 graduate of Central High School, South Bend.

Shortly after his graduation, he began working for the Bendix Corporation in South Bend as a mail clerk, delivering the mail about the plant on a pair of roller skates. He remained employed there for over 40 years, retiring in 1979 as supervisor of the aerospace division. In his youth, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America and attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He was also a long-time ham radio operator with the call sign of W9HQ. He was a member of the Community Congregational Church of South Bend, the Bendix Retiree's Club and the Izaak Walton League, a nature conservation organization.

Mr. Davis' enthusiasm for environmental causes also earned him the title as the "Watchdog of Juday Creek", because he fought off developers and pollution sources to preserve the creek's pristine beauty as one of Indiana's last naturally spring-fed waterways.

He was also very adept in carpentry, designing and building his own home as well as all the interior cabinetry. He even build doll house sized furniture for his daughters. After he retired, he volunteered his time at the Clay Township branch of the South Bend Library, where he devised a method of repairing the bindings of old books; a technique that was adopted by other area libraries.

On April 8, 1938 in South Bend Dick married Marie E. Spromberg. She survives in Mishawaka. He is also survived by daughters, Kathryn L. (Gary) Wilson of Markleville, IN, and Liese M. (Tom) Kreiser of Elkhart; an adopted daughter, Gilly Simpson of Tunbridge Wells, Kent England; a son, Dr. Timothy E. (Sandy) Davis of Elkhart; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Dick was preceded in death by a brother, William Davis and a granddaughter, Megan Wilson.

Services will be at 11 a.m. today, January 16, 2009, in Billings Funeral Home, with the Reverend Clyde A. Trumbauer, Pastor Emeritus of Calvary United Methodist Church of Elkhart will officiate, friends may call one hour before services. Weather permitting, burial will follow services at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, South Bend. Memorial may be made to Izaak Walton League, c/o Billings Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to www.billingsfuneralhome.com.

Published by South Bend Tribune on Jan. 16, 2009.

01/14/2023 EJS



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