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Margaret Thompson McCranie ('68)
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DAVIS, HARRY LAUDER Harry Lauder Davis, 81, of Gainesville, Florida passed away suddenly, but peacefully at his home, Sunday, August 1, 2010. Harry was born on Dec. 3, 1928 in Temple, Texas while his father, Montie A. Davis, was at Seminary studying to become a Baptist preacher. Most of his childhood was spent in Mississippi. He married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Elkin of Moss Point, MS. He graduated from the University of Mississippi where he was Coach John Vaught's first football recruit. He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. Harry was a teacher, coach, athletic director, principal, and educator. He became the football coach of his former high school, Moss Point High School. In 1960 he moved to Belle Glade where he was a teacher. He coached for many years with the Belle Glade High School Rams. He continued his education, receiving his Masters Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. He was the principal of South Bay Elementary and of Belle Glade Elementary. For twenty-five years he was an educator in the Glades area of Palm Beach County. Upon retirement, Harry and Shirley moved to Gainesville in 1991. He was a deacon and member of the First Baptist Church of Gainesville. Harry was predeceased by his parents, Montie and Bertha Davis of Pascagoula, brothers John, and Montie Davis, Jr. Harry is survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Shirley Elkin Davis, by daughter Amanda Foster of Gainesville and her husband Eddie, daughter Downing Newman of Orlando and her husband Mark, Jorge Rodriguez of Tampa and Tony Rodriguez of Oklahoma City, sisters Shirley Speights of Pascagoula, and Katherine Hood from MS, grandchildren Chad Foster, Joel Foster, and Sean Foster all of Gainesville, Leslie O'Dell, Michele Moreman and Stephen Newman all of Orlando and a great granddaughter, Kaelin O'Dell. Funeral Services will be at First Baptist Church 14105 NW 39th Avenue Gainesville, FL at 1:00 PM on Friday August 6, 2010, with a viewing for one hour prior. Interment with military honors follows at Forest Meadows Central Cemetery in Gainesville. Milam Funeral and Cremation Services 311 South Main Street Gainesville, FL 32601 (352) 376-5361. |
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