Furman James Davis

A man committed to God, duty, honor and country, Furman James Davis died Feb. 5, 2001, just one week after his 80th birthday.

The decorated World War II veteran and former prisoner of war began his life in Augusta, Ga., on Jan. 29, 1921. After a short stint in the U.S. Army, Davis met his wife of 59 years, Mary Dean Cook, in Asheville, N.C. Two weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, they married, and Davis entered the Air Force, then the Army Air Corps.

A navigator on a B-17 bomber, Davis was stationed in England before his plane was shot down over Karlsruhe, Germany. Captured on the ground, Davis was taken to Stalag Luft III, where he spent nine months as a POW. There, on a bitterly cold Christmas Eve in 1944, Davis experienced what he called "the birth of Christ in the hearts and souls" of guards who, with great risk and personal sacrifice, gave the prisoners small, precious gifts.

After liberation in 1945, Davis remained in the military. His assignments took him and his family to many places in the United States, and to Japan twice. During his career, Davis was awarded numerous medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star and two Purple Heart. With the rank of major, he retired under a medical discharge in 1957 and moved to Tampa.

A member of the Temple Terrace Baptist Church, Davis was deeply faithful. He loved to practice what he called "neighboring," and friends will long remember his gifts of tomatoes, strawberries and other produce, always delivered with stories and fond wishes.

Davisą military service was of utmost importance to him. He was instrumental in helping form the POW support group at the Tampa VA hospital and was a charter member of the American Ex-POW Organization. He looked forward to Friday morning meetings with his comrades and fellow soldiers, and enjoyed sharing memories of his service with friends and relatives.

Davis was a storyteller and a jokester, and even in his last few days, many playful jibes and quips passed his lips. He made sure to let friends and relatives know that he was "still in charge around here," and that the "king was in his glory," all in jest.

He and Mary Dean have four adult children: Carmen (Vicky) Gebhardt, Dianne Dlouhy, Mary Miller and George Davis. They have eight grandchildren: Jeanette Kuehner, Jeff Christy, Hillary Levin, Stephanie Levin, Jennifer Dlouhy, Brian Dlouhy, Austin Davis and Andrew Davis. Their great-grandchildren are Amber Jurasin and Cole Christy. One grandson, Dan, died two years ago.

Services will be Thursday at C.E. Prevatt Funeral Home, 9750 N. 56th St. Temple Terrace. Visitation will be at 11 a.m., and services will be at 12:15 p.m. Internment will follow at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. All are welcome.

Donations in memory of Davis may be made to Beech Presbyterian Church c/o Linda Crawford, 8 Roberts Cove Rd. Weaverville, N.C. 28787 or to the American Cancer Society, 1-800-ACS-2345.