Irving Perry Davis

Irving “ Perry” Davis SMSGE (RET) USAF Irving Perry Davis, SMSgt (Ret), age 80, died on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at a local hospital after a brief illness. A private funeral service with full military honors will be arranged by the Hamil Family Funeral Home with the Reverend Peter McNabb conducting the services on Thursday, October 29. Perry was born to Raymond Perry and Carrie Norton Davis on July 3, 1935 in Bath, Maine. After graduating from Morse High School in 1954, he joined the US Air Force, training to become an Armament and Electronics technician on B-47 aircraft. It was in 1954 that he met the love of his life and future wife, Ruthanne Kaye. They married in 1959 and proudly raised two fine sons. Early in his Air Force career, he was selected for flying status and served the next eleven years as a B-52 crew member and tail gunner. During that time he flew 247 missions over Viet Nam, including participating in the very first mission that the U.S. flew over North Viet Nam. His courage as a B-52 crew member earned him many awards and medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. Perry later crossed-trained into Management Engineering and that career brought him to Dyess A.F.B. where he retired after 23 years of dedicated military service and lived out the rest of his life as a proud “adopted” Texan. After retirement from the military he went to work as a Project Engineer at General Dynamics and eventually retired from Lockheed. He then became the Administrator of the Supervisory Committee at the then Dyess A.F.B. Credit Union. During that time he also volunteered teaching English as a second language in the Abilene Independent School System and filled his other free time with painting landscapes and portraits, a talent for which he was well-known. Other hobbies included restoring a ’65 Mustang, reading, playing Bridge and Sudoku, spending time with his family, following college football and basketball and of course the Dallas Cowboys. Throughout his entire life he was also an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox. Perry was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Richard Davis and sister, Faye Davis Koch. In January of this year, his youngest son, Christopher Alan Davis, a Corrections Officer for the State of Texas, was killed in a tragic bus accident in east Texas. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Ruthanne Davis, son and daughter-in-law, Bruce Perry and Barbara Southall Davis, and daughter-in-law, Donna Patrick Davis. Also his beloved Maine Coon cat, Bilbo Baggins. Visitation will be at the Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, October 28. Private funeral services with full military honors will be at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery of Abilene. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Hendrick Hospice Care, 1682 Hickory Street Abilene, Tx 79601; Taylor-Jones Humane Society or the charity of your choice. The family wishes to express their deepest thanks to Dr. Hari Kalla of Texas Oncology and all the nurses and CNA’s of Hendrick Cancer Unit and Hendrick Hospice Care for their compassionate and outstanding care. We will be forever grateful.