Louis Faye Davis
Louis Faye Davis, known by his friends and family as "Louie," from Milwaukie, died peacefully at Legacy Hopewell House Hospice on Wednesday, July 25, 2012 due to complications from lung cancer and COPD at the age of 80. Louie was born in Manson, Wash. on May 30, 1932 to Lushion Earl and Minnie Pearl Davis. He was the youngest of 10 children. Louie graduated from Lake Chelan High School, Washington in 1950. He was accepted into The Fred Waring Academy of Singing (1952) and unfortunately was drafted to the Army. He served in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Riley, Kan. and Fort Lewis, Wash. from October 1952-1960 as a telephone repairman and cook.
He was born and raised in Lake Chelan, Wash. and lived many places throughout Oregon, Washington, Alaska, California and Arizona. Louie was an electrician by trade and was fortunate to be able to travel the world because of his occupation. He didn't like to settle in just one place and his ongoing need for challenges in his field and his curiosity compelled him to travel to Saudi Arabia, Israel, throughout Alaska, California and Oregon just to name a few. In 1964, Louie packed up his family along with his brother-in-law, Samuel Nichols and wife of six months, LeaRae, and moved to Lake Havasu City, Ariz. as electrifying pioneers to this brand new city. They started the first electrical company known as Havasu Electric Company. Louie and his family moved from Havasu in 1969 back up to Oregon. Louie was a member of the IBEW Local 48 Electrical Union. He retired in 1998, bought a motor home and traveled each and every highway. He traveled to Niagara Falls, New Orleans and Banff, Canada. He cruised the Mediterranean, Panama Canal, Caribbean, Alaska and Mexico. As his Lady Friend, Joan Rice, said "He had such a zest for life and living it to the fullest." Louie did not settle for the status quo he was constantly searching to improve on the way things worked, the functionality and the logic of how things worked. If he did not like the way something was built, he would disassemble it and rebuild it the way he thought it should be built. He was a great gadget man, fixer upper and his mind would not rest until things were done his way. Which he would tell it was the "Right way!" In an effort to keep his mind young and always challenged, he pursued many hobbies and interests, including but not limited to: cooking, singing (Milwaukie Center Singers) later in life, backpacking, snow skiing, water skiing, fishing, crabbing and swimming. At the age of 70, he decided to learn how to play keyboards and a few years later, guitar. At the age of 78, he decided to design and sew his own new version of men's shorts. His granddaughters have shared that, "Boy can he rock a Speedo!"
He is preceded in death by his first wife, the mother of his children, Lola Jean Nichols; his beloved son, Lane Scott Davis; his sisters, Hazel Floyd, Eva Tester, Nellie Stanford, Laura Josephene; brothers, Noble, Freddie, Leroy, Archie and Johnnie; and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins. He is survived by his children, Larry Davis (Jackey Morris), Lori Davis (Shawna Hanley), Lace Davis (Cliff Ambro); and his beloved granddaughters, Candace Davis, Stefanie Davis, Niki Hall and Beka Hall. This gives you an idea of what kind of person Louie was and oh man, did he live life to the fullest. Louie was very ill in the past couple of years and was blessed to receive the care of many wonderful people in the health care field, especially those at Meridian Park Hospital. We would like to thank Dr. Fielder, Dr. Bleum and Dr. Glenn for their unending desire to help him live a longer life. We also want to thank the wonderful people at Hopewell Hospice House for making our father comfortable during his final stage of life.
There will be a private celebration of life (potluck) for family and close friends on Sunday, July 29 at 4 p.m. at his daughter, Lori's house.
Contributions in remembrance of Louis may be made to the American Lung Association, 7420 SW, Bridgeport Rd., Suite 200, Tigard, OR 97224 or Legacy Hopewell House Hospice, 6171 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97239.
Published in The Oregonian on July 28, 2012
