Paul M. Davis – WHS Class of 1952- February 21, 2006

Paul M. Davis, 72, from Evansville, died February 21, 2006, at Deaconess Hospital. Paul, the son of Mar- garet Fine and Norval (Junie) Davis, was born January 30, 1934, in Winslow, Indiana.   He graduated from Winslow High School in 1952 and from Oakland City College in 1957.   On August 24, 1957, Paul married Shirley Jean Noland.

He then received a Master of Education from Indiana State University, Terre Haute and a Th.D. from Trinity College and Seminary in Newburgh, Ind.    While doing coursework at Wayne State University, he taught school in Detroit, Michigan.

Paul was employed by the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corp. from 1957 to 1995. He taught at Stringtown Elementary from 1957 to 1972 and at Perry Heights Elementary/Middle School from 1972 until his retirement in 1995. He taught 7th and 8th grade mathematics and science.

He was an interim pastor of numerous churches in Southern Indiana, and was pastor of New Harmony First Baptist Church in the late ’60s and early ’70s. He pastored two churches in Rockport, Indiana, in the ’70s and early ’80s.He was interim pastor of Berean Bible Church in Evansville from 1998 until he retired because of poor health in 2005.Paul also worked on the administrative staff and as an instructor at Trinity College and Seminary during the ’90s and early ’00s.

Paul had a love of planes, especially the P-51, and flying. As a young teenager, he learned how to fly a biplane and did some cropdusting in Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky. Unfortunately, a diagnosis of diabetes prevented him from pursuing a career as a pilot.

He was a volunteer sheriff deputy and chaplain during the ’70s and ’80s. He assisted with the rescue/recovery when the University of Evansville basketball team’s plane crashed in the late ’70s.

Paul is survived by his wife of 48 years, Shirley; daughters, Lisa B. Davis of Evansville and Tresa (Davis) Heath and her husband, Bill Heath, of Nashville, Tennessee; granddaughters, Amanda Heath, a freshman at Middle Tennessee State University, and Rachel Heath, a freshman at The Academy Tutorial in Nashville; brother, Wayne Davis and his wife, Sharon (Atchley) Davis, of Odon, Indiana, and J.C. Davis and his wife, Julie (Chinn) Davis, of Rockport.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Mary Lynn Davis who died at age 3, and a brother, Joe Allen Davis, who died in 1994.

Services were at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 25, 2006, at Alexander West Chapel, officiated by Reverends Bill Kellough and Tony Sistelos, with entombment at Alexander Memorial Park.  Friends called from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday, February 24, at Alexander West Chapel.

Memorial contributions may be made to American Diabetes Association or Berean Bible Church. Condolences may be made online at www.mem.com. Arrangements by Alexander West Chapel, 2100 West Illinois St.