Obituary of William "Bill" Davis

William M. (Bill) Davis, 88, of Doniphan, Missouri, died Wednesday, August 3, 2016, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Bill was born to William J. and Ada (McKinney) Davis on January 16, 1928, in Ripley County, Missouri. He was married to Edith Elizabeth Wills on July 4, 1951, in Seattle Washington. They had just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary last month. Bill was a 1945 graduate of Doniphan High School. On September 14, 1950, he joined the U. S. Army and served as a supply sergeant during the Korean War. He worked in the insurance industry for many years in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and in March of 1970 he and Edith purchased Smock Hardware and moved home. Davis True Value Hardware became Bill’s passion. One of his greatest joys was meeting and talking to the many customers who walked through the door. In later years, he came to the hardware store daily to visit and just see how things were going. He was a member of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Doniphan and served for several years as an Usher, Lector and Eucharistic Minister. Bill was also a member of the parish council throughout the years. Bill loved Cardinal baseball, fishing, quail and pheasant hunting, and growing the most beautiful roses and the best tomatoes in the world. But most of all, Bill loved his family. He delighted in his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a wonderful, kind and generous husband, Dad and Paw-Paw and he will be missed by his family forever. He is survived by his wife Edith; two children, Jeni and husband Bill Wright and Phil and wife Carol Davis, both of Doniphan; grandchildren Amanda and husband Mike McAfee, Ashley and husband Marcus Baker, Alicia Davis, Morgan and husband Justin Emfinger and Greg Davis; great-grandchildren Aidan and Emery McAfee; and Finley, Graham, Jonas and Beckett Baker plus twin Baker boys due in October. He is also survived by a sister-in-law Gin and husband Lou Luzynski. Preceding Bill in death were his parents, sisters Marjorie Davis and Beth Agin and brother-in-law Ken Agin. Visitation is Sunday evening, August 7, from 5 – 8 p.m. at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. A Mass of Christian Burial, officiated by Father David Dohogne, will be held at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in Doniphan on Monday morning, August 8, at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow in the Oak Ridge-Doniphan City Cemetery. Memorials may be made to St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in Bill’s name.