John David Davis, 95, of the West Berrien Community passed away Sunday, February 19, 2017, at Legacy Village in Tifton, where he had resided for the past several years. His funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 22, 2017, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Larry Layfield officiating. Mr. Davis will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery with the Rev. Gary Cadwell officiating and Masonic Rites. The family will receive friends Wednesday, February 22, 2017, from 9:30 a.m. until the hour of the service at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mr. Davis’ grandsons and grandsons-in-law, Ryan McGriff, David T. Davis, Brett McMillan, Bruce Dillard, Reid Jones, Brady Tucker, Jeff Williams and Chad VanOrman, will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Enis Barnes, Phil Hendley, members of the Tifton Masonic Lodge #47 and deacons of Brookfield Baptist Church.
Born July 24, 1921 in Wilkinson County, Mr. Davis was the son of the late James A. Davis and Mary Eliza Bostick Davis. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, James Davis and Carl Davis; and three sisters, Vernice Hall, Eunice Pettit and Mary Davis. He moved to Tift County in 1929 and, later, to Berrien County, where he lived the remainder of his life. His occupation was farming. He loved what he did. He loved the land and always looked forward to starting a new crop. He constantly planned for the future and kept up with the changes. He was not afraid to try new things. He was never idle and was committed to his farm. After retiring, he took up hunting and fishing, and especially, deer hunting. He was a member of Brookfield Baptist Church, where he was a deacon and taught Sunday school. He was also a member of the Tifton Masonic Lodge #47, the Tifton Shrine Club and a veteran of the United States Army.
Mr. Davis is survived by his wife of 69 years, Mildred Arrington Davis of the West Berrien Community; his children and their spouses, Laura and Larry McMillan of the West Berrien Community, Linda and Charles Brooks of the West Berrien Community, Van and Dale McGriff of Tifton and John F. and Jean Davis of the West Berrien Community; one brother, Cecil Davis of Brookfield; two sisters, Betty Driggers of Ty Ty and Julia Eunice of Jacksonville, Florida; his grandchildren and their spouses, Gina and Bruce Dillard, Karen Friend and fiancé, Jeff Williams, Amy and Chad VanOrman, Shae and Brady Tucker, Michele Davis, Tiffany and Reid Jones, Ryan and Allison McGriff, David T. and Michelle Davis and Brett and Christy McMillan; and 16 great-grandchildren.
The Davis family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Southern Care Hospice and Legacy Village for their care of Mr. Davis.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to the Masonic Children’s Home, 1417 Nottingham Drive, Macon, GA 31211.