Dick Davison Memorial
June 3, 2008
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of one of our elders, Dick Davison. Dick was a gift from God to this church for over four decades.
Dick’s life is well-characterized by the Apostle Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Dick loved God’s word. Although he said he had a hard time memorizing scripture, if you ever heard him pray, you know that God’s word was hidden in his heart. In his prayers offered in front of our church, he cited verse after verse, tying together the great themes of the Bible. His favorite book of the Bible was Philippians because its theme is Jesus Christ. Over and over I heard him say, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Dick loved his family. His relationship with his wife, Joy, remained a growing romance for nearly 57 years. On several occasions he granted me the privilege of reading one of the many poems he wrote to her – hand-written on a 3X5 card. Frequent were his exhortations to tell my wife that I love her… “MANY times EVERY day.” He also found great delight in bragging on his children, their unique personalities, and the special ways that each of them served the Lord.
Dick loved this church. He was a visionary. He saw the unlimited potential we have “for doing damage to the kingdom of darkness and advancing the Kingdom of God.” He maintained a vigilant eye on the direction of our church. He never wanted us to stray from what he described as our “pillars” – teaching God’s word, the doctrine of God’s grace, equipping and sending students as warriors for the kingdom, and our commitment to world missions.
We will greatly miss Dick Davison, but we have no doubt that he has already heard from our Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.”
Dick’s memorial service will be held at Grace Bible Church, June 5 at 11 am. See obituary below.
In Christ,
Brian Fisher, Senior Pastor
Richard Read "Dick" Davison Sr. April 3, 1926 - June 2, 2008
Richard Read (Dick) Davison is in eternity now, having passed from this life early Monday morning, June 2, 2008. Memorial Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Grace Bible Church.
He was born in Marlin Texas on April 3, 1926. He attended Virginia Military Academy for a year before enlisting in the U.S. Army and serving his country in the Second World War. He saw combat in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944/45 and was stationed in Nuremburg during the War Crimes Trials in 1945. In 1946 after his discharge, he returned to Texas where he enrolled at Texas Tech University and received a B.S. in chemical engineering in 1949. After graduation, he worked for Lyon Oil Company in Snyder, Texas, during which time (1951) he married the love of his life, Joy Childs, also from Marlin. In 1955, the couple and their growing family moved to Bryan where he pursued an M.S. ('58) and PhD ('62) in Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University. He taught at Texas A&M for 45 years before retiring in 2003.
Dick was known as a teacher who did more than teach the content of his courses; his former students speak of him as a mentor and advisor, friend and example of a godly man. He was one of the founding members of Grace Bible Church in the 1960's and was a consistent member of GBC's Board of Elders, significantly influencing the direction and mission of the church. He was an avid reader and student of scripture, teaching various Bible studies over the years at his church. He loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and was a witness for Him to many lives during his days here.
Dick and Joy loved to travel and the two of them had been around the world, from India to Ecuador, the former Soviet Union to Nepal, including numerous trips to Europe. Their relationship was romantic and openly affectionate for the almost 57 years of their marriage. Their marriage was a beautiful picture of the inseparable "one flesh" bond that God intended all marriages to be; their example of mutual devotion left a lasting impression on many.
Dick was larger than life to his children, who grew up on war stories, touring vacations around the U.S., and lengthy theological discussions at the supper table.
Survivors include his wife, Joy; brother, Steven of Dallas; children, Mary Joy Hinton and husband, Richard of Dallas, Dick Davison Jr. and wife, Karen of Bryan, and Julie Larson and husband, Rick of Bryan; grandchildren, Andress Koenning of Dallas, Richard III and Howard Davison of Bryan, Marion Larson of Bryan, and Elizabeth Hinton of Dallas.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Timothy Trust Fund at Grace Bible Church, 700 Anderson Dr., College Station, 77840.