John H. Davis, Jr. Obituary (1931 - 2012)

John Henry Davis Jr., 80, of Niles, died at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 16, 2012, at Center for Hospice Care-Elkhart Hospice House in Elkhart of natural causes. He was born Dec. 28, 1931, in South Bend. He lived in the area most of his life. John was a truck driver. He was in the U.S. National Guard and loved to make birdhouses and bird feeders. He married Dallas C. Davis on Nov. 9, 1951, in Niles. She preceded him in death on July 12, 1999. He was also preceded in death by his parents, John Sr. and Helen Davis; a daughter, Sandra Arlene Davis, in 1963; four brothers, Donald, William, Robert and Richard Davis; and two sisters, Betty Ladd and Maxine Thompson. John is survived by his sons, John H. Davis III, of Niles, Ernest Allen (Kathy) Davis, of Niles, Raymond Eugene (Sue Ann) Davis, of Niles, Rex Alfred (Carmen) Davis, of South Bend, and Mark Lee Davis, of Osceola, Ind.; a daughter, Carolyn (Robert) Thibodeaux, of Niles; sisters, Darlene (Emory) Gerschoffer, of Niles, Ruby Ottinger, of Dowagiac, Lavonne Bates, of Florida; 15 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, June 22, at Hoven Funeral Home in Buchanan with Bishop Alfred Deeds, of Bethel Apostolic Tabernacle, Buchanan, officiating. Burial will be at Smith Chapel Cemetery, Niles. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 21, at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Center for Hospice Care-Elkhart Hospice House, 22579 Old U.S. 20 East, Elkhart, IN 46516.