Bill W. Davis

He grew up on a farm in Athens, Texas. Many days were spent picking cotton and baling hay. His father, Carl, was also a hunting and fishing guide and Bill went on many trips. Some of his favorite memories were when some of the Dallas Cowboy players would come. One player was Don Meredith who would tap on Bill's window to get him to come fishing with them. He had a lot of great stories about those times.

He played football and baseball at Athens High School. In baseball, whenever someone hit a homerun, you won a chicken dinner. He became known as "Chicken Bill” for all the dinners he won.

He graduated from Athens High School in 1957. He received a football scholarship to Henderson County Junior College to play football. One of his classmates was Billy Mack Ham, the soon to be manager and producer of ZZ Top. They laughed how Billy Mack would sing in the shower, and they didn't think he would ever do anything with that sound.

After a football injury, Bill left Junior College, and enrolled at Texas A&M University, where he graduated with a degree in business in 1961. He had some very influential businessmen from Athens who helped him along the way. Clint Murchison Sr. gave him a car to have in college, and Wofford Cain awarded him a scholarship to attend Texas A&M.

After college, Bill went to Officer Candidate School and became a 2nd Lieutenant in the National Guard. Clint Murchison got him his first job in banking in Mission, Texas. While working in Mission, he met the love of his life, Betty Robertson from McAllen. He saw her picture in a bathing suit ad in the paper. He asked around if anyone knew her, and a friend set them up on a date. They were married on the 1st of July 1967.

Banking took Bill to Houston, working at Post Oak Bank. He began working as a commercial lender, and was the youngest member on the board at the age of 27. His career took him to several different banks over the years. Union Bank, Port City Bank, Texas Capital, Langham Creek, Sterling, Enterprise, and Allegiance Bank, where he just recently retired from after 7 years.

Bill was a member and past president of BraeBurn Country Club. He enjoyed golfing and playing in tournaments with his friends, who affectionately called him, "Goat". He was on the Calf Scramble committee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for several years.

His favorite place to go was his quail lease he had for over 40 years at the El Brazil Ranch in Hebbronville, Texas. He loved to hunt quail and dove with friends and family. It was a great place to kick back and relax.

He loved cooking a big breakfast for everyone. It became quite a tradition. He was very family oriented and spent a lot of time making memories with his children and grandchildren. He was a wonderful storyteller who could engage you with stories about his childhood and people he had met through his life. You could ask him how many home runs did Mickey Mantle or other ball players hit in a specific year, and he would know without looking it up. He had an incredible memory for stats. He was a man who loved life, and lived it to the fullest.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Hattie and Carl Davis; and brother, Ray Davis.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Betty Robertson Davis; his daughter, Julie Mechura and her husband Trey; son, Jon Davis and his wife Kimberly; and four grandchildren, Taylor and Matthew Mechura and Kendall and Kailyn Davis. He also leaves two brothers, Joe and Jim Davis.

We would like to thank Dr. Guillermo Garcia-Manero and his staff at MD Anderson for their wonderful care.

A funeral service is to be conducted at three o’clock in the afternoon on Tuesday, the 18th of October, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the adjacent grand foyer.

The family will gather for a private interment at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are: Johnny Baker, Larry Stegent, Bob Walker, Allen Case, Robert Messer and Mike Speck.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family request donations be made in Bill's memory to Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway Drive, Houston, TX 77057.