Services for Okley Charles Davis (Lt Col, USAR) will be held Monday, October 29, 2012 at 2 p.m. at Hill Crest Funeral Home officiated by Brother Billy Pierce. Visitation will be Sunday, October 28, 2012 from 3-6 p.m. at Hill Crest. Okley passed on to the Lord on October 26, 2012 at Willis-Knighton Bossier after a short illness at the age of 92.
He was born February 2nd, 1920 in Addison, Vermont to Roy and Venice Davis. Okley served with the US Army Air Corps as a B-24 gunner in the Italian Theatre in World War II. After discharge, he attended Norwich University majoring in Civil Engineering and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1948.
His early engineering career included work with the State of Vermont and the Army. Okley then went to work for the 8th Air Force. From there he worked under the 2nd Air Force and retired from engineering with the Strategic Air Command in 1980. Okley reenlisted in the Army Reserve Civil Engineers from which he retired at the rank of Lt Col. After retirement, he managed an H&R Block office and served as a volunteer tax preparer with the AARP.
Okley avidly pursued his love of the outdoors through hiking, canoeing, and camping as well as traveling to every state except Hawaii. Hobbies also included rock polishing/jewelry making and rose gardening. He volunteered with the American Rose Center and the Village Lions Club and was an active member of the Ark-La-Tex Gem and Mineral Society, the Shreveport Coin Club, and the Ozark Society.
Okley was preceded in death by his parents, brother Vernon and sister Yvonne. His first wife, Eva, passed away in 1989 and his grandson Arthur Davis, Jr. last year. He is survived by his loving wife Donna Davis, his son Arthur Davis (Helen) of Beverly Hills, FL, his daughter Brenda Ross (David) of Shreveport, LA, granddaughter, Kristen Taylor (Charles), and grandson, Michael Ross.
The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Ted Warren for his care of Okley for many years. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Ark-La-Tex Gem and Mineral Society, the Shreveport Coin Club, or the Ozark Society.
You may share your memories with the family by visiting www.hillcrestmemorialfh.com.
