Class of 1959
1959 Maroon Spotlight
Roger Davis
1959 Graduation EditionThe Leader TribuneLaverne, Oklahoma
(Written by Roger Davis)
I was born in Lucien, Okla. on November 18, 1941. I went to school in Perry, Okla. until the eighth grade, then I moved to Wichita, Kans., where I went all of my freshman year and half of my sophomore year. I then moved to Hobart, Okla. where I lived for about two months, then we moved to Sentinel, Okla., where I finished my sophomore year and went two months of my junior year. We then moved to Tulsa for a month and a half and then to Perkins, Okla., and I finished my junior year there. As soon as school was out we moved back to Perry, where we lived until the middle of October. We then moved to Laverne, where I will finish my senior year.
After I finish school I plan to keep working where I am now (Laverne, Oklahoma).
Roger Dean Davis
November 18, 1941 – December 20, 2014
Roger Dean Davis, 73, of Ark City, Kansas passed away Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014, at Medicalodge East.
Born in in Lucien, Oklahoma on Nov. 18, 1941, he was the son of Leo Lorane and Rosa L. (Gwinup) Davis. His family lived in several Oklahoma towns during his childhood. He attended Perry high school in the early part of his senior year, graduating from Laverne High School in 1959. Roger went to work for Smith Trucking in Laverne during high school.
He was married to Donnetta Wilcox in 1962. They moved with Smith Trucking to Hennessey and later to Perry. To this union, three children were born, a daughter Tina, another daughter Terri, and a son David. Roger later married Mary (Samuels) Bennett in 1975. Roger welcomed her children, Tammy, Patty and Larry to his family.
Roger and Mary made their home in Perry, where he was employed with Smith Trucking Company for many years as shop manager and as general manager of fleet sales and service, a division of Smith Trucking that carried oil field supplies.
He later earned his master’s degree as a diesel truck mechanic. The couple moved to Enid, Okla., and he worked out of Hennessey with his brother, Sonny Davis. The family moved to Winfield, Kan., while he worked as a master mechanic for Monte Coble Sr. of Ark City. In 1990, they moved to Wichita, Kan., and he began working for Truck Parts of Wichita until his retirement in 2006.
Roger loved his beloved cat, Waldo, building things, and fixing anything that was broken. He was very interested in his cars and showed great pride in them. He loved OU football.
Preceding him in death were: his parents; brother, Sonny Davis; sister, Lorna Dee Adams; stepdaughter, Patty Fowler; and nephew, Steve Davis.
Survivors include: his wife, Mary of Ark City; daughters, Tina Howard and husband Mikeo and daughter Terri Ford and husband Barry of Woodward; son, David Davis and wife Melinda of Perry; stepdaughter, Tammy Strange and husband Dennis of Ark City; sister, Tommie Presleyand husband Jerry of Perry; brother, Dennis Davis and wife Gayle of Wichita; grandchildren, Ryan Howard, Laceé Broyles, Kimber Ebisch, Adam Ford, Bryce Ford, Shalyn Davis, Austin Wehr, Kylee Hambleton, Kayla Ranzau, Troy Fowler and Lori Linden; great-grandchildren, Chayden Howard, Miles Howard, Braxton Brown, Justice Casebolt, Hannah Casebolt, Memphis Broyles, Mikel Broyles, Bella Broyles, Kamlee Ebisch, Jace Ebisch, Blaine Ford, Kennedy Ford, Oden Crews, Jace Hambleton, Cole Hambleton, Aleeyah Winegarner, Nathan Fowler, Abigail Fowler, April Meyers; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Memorial services will be 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015, at First Christian Church in Perry, Okla. Interment will follow at Grace Hill Cemetery, Perry. The family has requested memorial contributions go to the Alzheimer’s Foundation in honor of Roger.