Rotary Mourns Bill Davis

Memorial services for Bill were held at 2 p.m. Monday, May 10, 2010 at the First Baptist Church in Killeen with Rev. Jimmy Towers and Pat McDonald officiating. He died May 7, 2010 at his home.

Bill was born April 11, 1930, in Bosque County to Dennis C. and Nevada Davis. The family moved to Bell County, settling in the Youngsport area where he often rode his horse to school. The family later moved to Killeen, living in Hood Village while his father served in the U.S. Navy. He graduated from Killeen High School, located in the Avenue D schoolhouse, in 1948. During his high school years, he worked in his family business, the "White Spot Cafe." Mr. Davis married Jeannie Naylor of Temple on July 11, 1950. Sons Monty was born in 1954 and Lloyd in 1956.

Mr. Davis worked at the First National Bank of Killeen from 1953 as the head bookkeeper and assistant cashier until the Fort Hood National Bank opened in 1965 and he transferred there as vice president and loan officer. From 1959 through 1961, Mr. Davis served the community as the secretary/treasurer of the Killeen United Way. He was a member of the 49th Armored Division, Texas National Guard from 1948-1959, attaining the rank of sergeant first class. He joined the Killeen Masonic Lodge No. 1125 AF&AM in 1951 and remained a member the remainder of his life, serving as worshipful master in 1962 to 63 and was awarded the Golden Trowel Award in 2002. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Killeen for more than 60 years.

In the late 1960s, Mr. Davis established the Harker Heights Loan Company, a pawn shop, which he owned and operated for approximately 35 years. Mr. Davis became a charter member of the Harker Heights Kiwanis Club and was the only remaining charter member at his death. Mr. Davis served the city as a councilman from September 1973 until April 1980. He was a member of the Killeen Heights Rotary Club, which he served as the "attendance taker" for several years and was honored as the "Rotarian of the Year" in 2003-04, retiring only when he could no longer attend the meetings.

Mr. Davis enjoyed fishing and gardening after his retirement. He became an avid "Aggie" when his two sons graduated from Texas A&M in the 1970s saw his two oldest grandchildren also graduated from Texas A&M in 2004 and remained an "Aggie" until his death.

He was preceded in death by his father, Dennis Davis, and a sister, Mary Lou Davis.

Survivors include his wife of almost sixty years; his son, Monty and his wife Becky, son, Lloyd and his wife, Caron; grandsons, Jason and Ryan; granddaughters, Kelsey and her husband, U.S. Navy Lt. Mark Nolen, and Cristina Davis; great-granddaughter, Maya Grace Davis; his mother, Nevada Davis; and sisters LaRue Cowan and Rebecca Stringer.