William R. Davis

William R. Davis, age 81, of Ithaca, died Sunday, March 27, 2011 in the Cardiac Care Unit of Sparrow Hospital in Lansing.

Bill was born August 7, 1929, in Emerson Township, the son of Jack and Myrtle (Purdy) Davis. He married Rosalie Hayes in Ithaca on September 23, 1951. 

In the 1950‘s Bill operated the Gulf gas station with Norm Godley. He also worked at the Fargo gas station and worked for his uncle Clair Purdy at the Sunoco gas station. In 1960, Bill started working for the City of Ithaca as a police officer, then as Chief of Police. In 1991 Bill retired from the City of Ithaca Department of Public Works after 31 years of service.

Bill was an avid weather watcher and always looked out for family members’ welfare. He loved NASCAR races and always had a biscuit in his pocket for the dogs he met along the way.

Bill is survived by his wife of 59 1/2 years, Rosalie; his children, Diane (Kendall Wood ) Davis of St. Johns and Jim (Nancee) Davis of Raleigh, North Carolina; his grandchildren, Lisa Davis and Matt (Kristi) Davis all of Raleigh, North Carolina; his sisters, Marilyn (Bill) Goodwin of Ithaca and Marlene Bates of Ithaca; and nieces and nephews, Chuck Goodwin, Michelle Beebe, and Marina Crawford.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at the Barden Funeral Home in Ithaca, with Pastor James Conn officiating. Interment will follow in Ithaca Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Ithaca Senior Activity Building.