DAVIS, Paul Riley, Rev. 1913-2001

DAVIS, KNIGHT, MACY

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 5/13/2011 at 13:44:57

THE REV. PAUL RILEY DAVIS

CHARLES CITY, IOWA - The Rev. Paul Riley Davis, 88, of 2106 Clark St., Charles City, died Friday (Nov. 2, 2001) at his home, surrounded by loving family members.

His body has been donated to the Department of Anatomy at the Mayo Clinic, and in keeping with his life of service to God and others, it was Paul's request to give contributions to the following: Charles City First Wesleyan Church, the Iowa District of the Wesleyan Church, Cedar Springs Wesleyan Camp of Floyd, Iowa, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Bartlesville, Okla., the Department of Wesleyan World Mission, Indianapolis, Ind., and Hospice of Northeast Iowa.

A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at First Wesleyan Church in Charles City, with Pastor Ted Clark officiating.

There will be a gathering of friends and family from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday at the Fellowship Hall at the church.

Paul R. Davis was born September 23, 1913, on a farm in Fayette County. His parents were George Davis and Fern (Knight) Davis. Paul graduated from Randalia High School.

He accepted the Lord as his personal Savior at the age of 18 at the Wesleyan Camp at Charles City. Paul testifies that he knew from childhood that God wanted him in the ministry and his life verse has been John 15:16: "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain." He prepared for the ministry at Miltonvale-Wesleyan College in Miltonvale, Kansas, graduating in 1936.

He was united in marriage to Nina Macy in 1936 at Miltonvale, Kansas. Their first pastorate was the Little Pine Country Church near Emily, Minn. While there he helped construct a church building and was the first pastor of the Emily Wesleyan Church.

Paul pioneered churches at Clarksville, Anoka, Cedar Falls Faith and Davenport, and also served at Charles City, Waterloo First Wesleyan, Albert Lea, Rochester, South Troy and Zumbrota.

Paul and Nina were blessed with four children, Alice Arlynn, Paul LaDean, Charles William, and David Arthur.

After Nina's death, Paul married Bessie Shaw in 1965, widow of Miltonvale College math-science professor, Paul William Shaw, and Paul adopted her three children, Charles William, John Wesley, and Marcia Ann.

During his 44 years of ministry in the Iowa District of the Wesleyan Church he also served the district as vice president, member of the Board of Trustees, conference youth director, chairman of the Camp Meeting Board, camping dining hall manager, Miltonvale Wesleyan College board member, and editor of the district paper, "The Evangel." While pastoring at Charles City, he took flying lessons from his friend, Ray Henry, and earned his pilot's license.

In 1980 he retired from the pastoral ministry in Rochester, Minn., and did volunteer hospital calling, had a nursing home ministry, and supplied pulpits for many denominations in the Rochester area, in addition to helping in the local Wesleyan Church.

He received the Rochester Exchange Club's "Book of Golden Deeds Award" in 1985, was a member of the Senior Citizen's Bowling Association. He will also be remembered for his love of baseball, and his baseball suit.

After Bessie's retirement from Rochester's Methodist Hospital, the couple moved to Charles City, where Paul continued to be active in visitation for the First Wesleyan Church until the past year when he experienced declining health.

Those thankful for sharing his life include his wife, Bessie, of Charles City; two daughters, Alice, of Santa Fe, N.M. and Marcia (Mick) Sullivan, of Midland, Mich.; four sons, Paul (Mary Jo), Wykoff, Minn., Charles (Angela), Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., David (Carol), Rowley, and Chuck (Ruth) San Diego, Calif.; 14 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one brother, Claude (Elva) Davis, of Radcliffe, one sister, Pearl (Gordon) Wienke, of Rockford, Ill.; one sister-in-law, Mardell Davis, of Maynard; many nieces and nephews and extended family members, along with a host of friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Nina; son, John Wesley; one sister, Iola Bright; and three brothers, Aulden, Gerald and Reynold Davis.

Globe Gazette -- Nov. 6, 2001