Ltc. Dale Davis, Sr

LtC. Dale T. Davis, Sr., 78, of Hillsboro died Monday, September 1, 2008, at Providence Health Care Center in Waco. Dale was born August 28, 1930 near Apache, Oklahoma, where he was raised, the son of Thomas Porter and Melba Bradley Davis. He graduated from Apache High School and from the University of Oklahoma in the spring of 1952 as a distinguished military graduate. Following graduation, he entered the U. S. Army where he served in field artillery in Korea. On April 29, 1960 he married Cleo Young in Hillsboro. After marriage, he served in Germany, Vietnam, and Panama. He was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal with 4 Bronze Service Stars; Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal; National Defense Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster; United Nations Service Medal; Korean Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster; Bronze Star Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; Combat Infantryman Badge; Vietnamese Life Saving Medal; Vietnamese Staff Service Medal; Vietnamese Armed Forces Honor Medal 1st Class; Basic Missileman Badge. After retiring from the military in 1974, he moved to Hillsboro and became an insurance agent taking over the Young family insurance agency, which he later sold to Hill County Insurance Agency where he continued to work until his second retirement. He was a member of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Hillsboro, Apache Masonic Lodge #223, past president of the Hillsboro Lions Club, where he was a member since 1974, and was past commander of Hillsboro American Legion Post #4. He organized the Hillsboro United Way and served as director of that organization for many years, was past president of the Hillsboro Cemetery Association and helped to organize them, and helped to reorganize Boy Scout Troop #345 serving as Scoutmaster, where he received the Silver Beaver and was inducted into the Order of The Arrow. Dale was one of the organizers of the Hill County Cell Block Musuem and also served on the board for a number of years, as well as serving as a docent at the museum. Preceding him in death were his parents; sister, Wilma Davis Culley; and nephew, Royce Huber. Survivors include his wife, Cleo Young Davis of Hillsboro; children, Dale T. Davis and wife, Brenda, of Keller, Elizabeth Davis Schneider and husband, USAF Col. Charles Chuck Schneider, of Ankara, Turkey, and Michael H. Davis of Waco; brother, Bill R. Davis and wife, Judy, of Apache, OK; four grandchildren, Devin and Bradley Davis of Keller, Airman 1st Class William Schneider of Pope Air Force Base, NC, and Erin Schneider of Las Cruces, NM; two nephews; and two nieces. In lieu of flowers, please make your donations to any of the organizations in which he served.