Richard Elwood Davis

Richard Elwood "Dick" Davis passed away peacefully in Gainesville, Florida on the morning of August 25th, 2015.He was born on January 15th, 1930 in Bluefield, West Virginia, to Ara and Claude Davis. Dick played basketball at the University of Tennessee, where he joined ROTC and received commission as second Lieutenant. He served in the Korean War from 1953 until March of 1955, when he was discharged as captain.After the war, Dick was the head basketball coach at Holston High School and King College before becoming the assistant basketball coach at the University of Florida in 1966. After eight years on staff at the university, he spent the next twenty-four years as a leasing manager at Hawes Chrysler. For the next fourteen years, he worked at The Swamp Restaurant.His outgoing personality never ceased to make others smile, and he was beloved by his family and the community at large.Dick joined the General James A. Van Fleet chapter 267 of the Korean War veterans association in 2004, where he was elected commander and led them to become the most active chapter in the state.He is survived by his wife Patricia, his sister, Scarlett Swall, his daughter, April Pearson, and two grandchildren, Ben and Becki Pearson.In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to: Van Fleet Chapter 267 of Korean War Veterans, 4701 NW 6th Street, Gainesville, FL 32609 Funeral Home Forest Meadows Funeral Home 725 NW 23rd Avenue Gainsville FL - 32609 US 352-378-2528