William Brian Davies

William Brian Davies, known as Brian, was born on October 26, 1932. He passed away on February 13, 2023, at the age of 90. Brian was born in Wales and was the oldest of nine children. He was a kind, thoughtful and gentle man - a real gentleman. He was a good athlete. He played rugby and was a boxer. When he was a boy, he’d rather run home instead of taking the bus! He joined the Royal Air Force when he was about 17, and met his future wife, Joan, while on a leave from the Air Force. He told his mother that he had met the girl he was going to marry! Joan and Brian were married in 1955 and lived in Wales and England, where he worked as an aircraft engineer. In 1966, he and many others, were persuaded by representatives from the United States, to move there and work as aircraft engineers. Brian, Joan and their two daughters, Alison and Jessica, moved to Georgia, where he worked at Lockheed Martin.

The family lived in Smyrna, Georgia for about eighteen months. While in Georgia he was a founding member of the Atlanta Rugby Club. His games were played in different nearby states so Joan and the girls would go with him for a weekend “break”…...then California called. They found a home in La Mirada, a city they came to love. Brian worked for Douglas Aircraft, which became McDonnell Douglas Aircraft, then Boeing, in Long Beach, CA. He worked for Boeing until he retired. He volunteered with the La Mirada High School Band Boosters and taught computer classes at the Senior Center. Brian and Joan lived in La Mirada for the rest of his life, and Joan continues to live there.

Even though Brian's favorite game was rugby, he became very involved with the American Youth Soccer Organization, and as someone wrote about him, “he was a gentleman who played the hooligan's game, but who learned to love the gentleman's game". He founded Region 22 in La Mirada and worked his way through the ranks of AYSO. He was a Coach, Referee, Regional Commissioner, Area Director, then National Director of Officiating. He later became Chairman of the Rules and Regulations Committee. In 1996 he was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in New York.

Brian loved his girls, his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren. He was a good man and had amazing love for his family and was a role model for his children. They will miss his funny sense of humor, the stories he told of his past, and his deep, strong voice. He will be missed by all.

He is survived by his wife Joan, daughter Alison Rice, daughter Jessica Nimmo (husband Dave), grandchildren Dustin Rice, Jacob Rice (wife Elise), LilyAnne Stewart (husband Devin), Eric Nimmo (wife Grace), Emily Thompson (husband Tanner), Robert Nimmo, great-grandchildren Kenzie Thompson, Luke Rice and Wyatt Thompson.