LeRoy William Davis, 1913-1990

LeRoy William Davis was a multi-talented person, full of good humor, and love for all. He was blessed with the ability to manifest the love that he felt for people. People knew that LeRoy really loved them. His talents were numerous. During the Depression he was a member of the CCCorps; he was an engineer with the National Park Service; a salesman of audiovisuals, life insurance, and real estate; a builder; designer; employed by the Virginia Department of Highways; and was active as a pulpit supply.

Then he finally answered the call that he had felt for a long time to give his life to the Lord in full-time service through the church. His appointments were Portlock, Kilmarnock, Park View and Providence in Newport News; Tabernacle, Francis Asbury and Good Hope in the Norfolk District; and Shacklefords in the Rappahannock District. He retired in 1979 having given of his many talents and all of his love to the church.

Someone has said that "You really get to know a person when you vacation together." Our families vacationed together at Sherwood Forest. We had such good times of fellowship and closeness. It was there in the early days of his ministry that my whole family was privileged to share this love that was always abounding in him. It was there that all in my family discovered the real LeRoy, a man who loved to laugh and most of all loved to make you laugh. When LeRoy retired, he and Mary Lee named their retirement home, "The House of Joy." How natural this must have been.

He reserved the greatest love for his wife, Mary Lee, and his son, Lee. He was married to Mary Lee for 50 years and three months. He was a devoted father, and was so proud of Lee, his son.

LeRoy had another talent which brought him great joy and which he was always so willing to share with others and that was his love of growing flowers. He was a humble man and he loved the simple things of life. Like his flowers, his greatest joy was to simply live on this earth enjoying the beauty around him to the fullest and thanking God that he could share it with others.

LeRoy preached his first sermon in Haygood United Methodist Church, Virginia Beach, Virginia, and it was from this same church that his memorial service was conducted by Dr. Edward Garrett, Dr. Lee Sheaffer, and Dr. Joseph Johnston, January 15, 1990. "Well done thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of the Lord" (Matthew 25:21).

-William Lyons Sturtevant. Sr.