Wallace Franklin Davis 1934 - 2005

DAVIS, MCKEE, TUCKER, HOLSCLAW

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/14/2017 at 00:22:58

Onawa Democrat
24 February 2005

Wallace Franklin Davis, 70, of Onawa, Iowa, died Saturday, February 12, 2005, at Elmwood Care Centre in Onawa.

Wally was born February 22, 1934, in Persia, Iowa, the son of Justus L. and Verna (McKee) Davis. As a teenager, he worked in the
railway station in Omaha, NE. He served in the United States Army, answering his nation's call to duty in the last days of the Korean War, and serving one tour of duty in Germany.

On June 18, 1955, he married Xuella Tucker in Omaha, NE. To this union a daughter, Denise Ann, was born. The couple divorced June 13, 1961. He married Honey O. (Holsclaw) Watkins on December 5, 1970, in Onawa. To this union a son, Aaron Lee, was born.

He was employed at the Greyhound Bus Station in Omaha, NE; worked for the Cocoly for a while, and then worked at ConAgra as the head of the mail department. He was employed at Berry Lumber Company in Onawa from 1973 to 1974.

A wintertime accident shattered one of his ankles and other health problems forced his retirement. He enjoyed camping, repairing
and maintaining the family cars, gardening, stamp and coin collecting, and computer gaming.

Survivors include his wife. Honey of Onawa a daughter, Denise Andersen and a son, Aaron, both of Omaha, NE; two stepdaughters, Sharon Boren of Onawa and Jodie and her husband, Daniel Kelley of Colorado Springs, CO; a brother, Douglas Davis of Buchanan, TN; several grandchildren, great grand-children, nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.

He was, preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Leland.

Memorial services were held at 1030 a.m. Friday, February 19, 2005 at the Pearson Funeral Chapel, Onawa, with Rev. Steven C. Hetzel officiating. Interment will be in Valley View Cemetery, Persia, Iowa at a later date. Arrangements were by Pearson Funeral Home, Onawa.

My, father-in-law, Wallace Davis passed away this weekend, after a long bout with Alzheimers. I never really thought of Wally as my father-in-law. He was just a good friend. The first time I met Wally, I was very nervous. Jodie and I were already engaged, and meeting "Her Parents" for the first time is always a nervous occasion. Five minutes after getting there, Wally and I were under the hood of his car, as if we were old pals. He put me at ease from the moment we shook hands, and we had much in common As I said, he was more my friend, than that character of fiction, called the "fatherin-law" I think he was more scared at my wedding than I was.

What I remember most about Wally was his laughter He loved to laugh One time, he visited a joke store in the mall and purchased a "Bag O Laffs." It was this gizmo that would start laughing if you shook it. Well, the silly thing was broken... sort-of. Instead of laughing, this thing had a slow, low pitched "wohhh...
hhhaw... hhhaw.. hhhaw..." For a moment, Wally was disappointed, but the thought of a laugh bag that didn't really laugh was even sillier than the original concept. In moments, we were all laughing, with Wally leading the pack. That's how I remember Wally laughing. so hard tears were, coming to his eyes.

Wally's health had not been good for many years, but he was always doing something. His hands shook and he walked with a limp, but that never really stopped him. He loved programming Commodore 128 computers, long after they left the market. (What a great machine!). He loved tinkering with mopeds or lawn mowers or the car. He had so many interests he made it easy to chat. There was always a subject handy.

Wally and I bantered insults back and forth all the time, and always in the good-natured way that male friends do. The worse the insult, the more we both would smile. One time, I got a particularly good insult on Wally. So, he turned to Jodie and said, "Why did you ever marry this guy? Her reply was priceless.

"Gee, Wally, I just wanted to marry someone who reminded me of you." Bing! Jodie had zinged both of us with one comment. Wally and I turned to each other and said "Ewwww!" Looking back, I am very proud of that comparison, very
proud indeed.