Marvin Davis Sr.

Marvin Burris Davis, Sr., 100 years old, of Texas City, Texas, passed away May 17, 2018, in Austin, Texas.

A reception will be held at Memorial Lutheran Church, 2021 - 29th St. N., at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, with visitation following at 1:00 p.m. The funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m., and the burial will be at the Galveston Memorial Park Cemetery, 7301 Memorial St., Hitchcock, TX 77563. Marvin loved time spent with family and friends in Galveston, Port Aransas, at the fish camp, and in Hawaii. We ask that everyone feel free to dress in attire to handle the heat of the day as we celebrate his life.

Marvin was born on January 15, 1918, to Marvin Lyle Davis and Georgia Reid Davis in Bastrop, Texas, on a cot in the back of a drug store. His family moved to Temple in 1924. Marvin's father got a job as a surveyor and then as a clerk for Santa Fe Railroad. Then the Depression hit, and Papa Davis was laid off. The family moved to Galveston in 1929, where Papa Davis again worked for Santa Fe. He was laid off within a year and did odd jobs for a while; and then he got a job with Kellogg Construction, who was building a unit at Amoco in 1934. Papa Davis worked as a payroll clerk.

Marvin graduated from Ball High School in 1935 and went to work in a grocery store to pay off the family's grocery bill. He worked there from 1935 until January of 1937. His father helped him get a job as a file clerk in the Personnel Dept. at Amoco through his connections at Kellogg Construction. Marvin retired on April 30, 1980, after 43 years at Amoco, where he was known as "Stinky" Davis by many of his friends and colleagues - a nickname from the cartoon character - "Stinky Davis" -- in the Galveston Daily News.

Marvin served in the U. S. Army Air Corp from August 21, 1943, to December of 1945 during WW II and then transferred into the active reserves. He was then called into active duty in the U. S. Air Force during the Korean War in November 1950 and served until November 1952. He retired from the USAF active reserves as a Major on January 31, 1969.

Marvin's family moved next door to the Ziegelmeyer family in Galveston around 1937 where he met Gloria Ziegelmeyer. She became the love of his life; and they married on November 20, 1939, which was her 18th birthday (the earliest her father would agree to her marrying). Gloria died of cancer on April 17, 1989.

Marvin and Gloria moved to Texas City in January 1950 with their two children, Marvin, Jr., and Vicki. They raised their children in Texas City and were long-time members of Memorial Lutheran Church. Marvin moved to Austin in December of 2014 and lived with his daughter and son-in-law until his death.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin and Georgia; his wife, Gloria; his brother Johnny and sister-in-law, Clara; brother George and sister-in-law, Nita; and sister Dorothy and brother-in-law, Eugene.

Survivors include his son, Marvin Davis, Jr., and wife Josephine; daughter, Vicki, and husband, Clyde Sutton; grandchildren: Kristi and husband Shawn Ramsey, Kory and wife Gia Davis, Angela and husband Jason Renfro, and Mark and wife Larissa Sutton. Great-grandchildren include Kyle and Clayton Ramsey; Madelyn, Teagan, and Simon Davis; Kora, Carson, and Cole Renfro; and Kinsley and Parker Sutton. Marvin also is survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Pallbearers are: Kory Davis, Mark Sutton, Shawn Ramsey, Jason Renfro, Kyle Ramsey and Clayton Ramsey. Honorary pallbearers include Teagan and Simon Davis, Carson and Cole Renfro, and Parker Sutton.

In lieu of flowers, donations made be made to the Memorial Lutheran Church.

Visitation

Reception

Memorial Lutheran Church
2021 29th St North
Texas City, TX  77590
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Visitation

Memorial Lutheran Church
2021 29th St North
Texas City, TX  77590
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Service

Memorial Lutheran Church
2021 29th St North
Texas City, TX  77590
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
2:00 p.m.

Cemetery

Galveston Memorial Park
7301 Memorial Street
Hitchcock, TX  77563

Memorial Contributions

Memorial Lutheran Church
2021 29th Street North
Texas City, TX  77590