Wilson Davis

Wilson Lloyd Davis, 86, died peacefully at 6:15 p.m. Dec. 18, 2003, at a Keokuk, Iowa, nursing home from complications due to the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at United Presbyterian Church, Keokuk, with the Rev. Brian Rihner officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, Keokuk.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. today at DeJong's Funeral Home, Keokuk, with family meeting friends from 4 to 6 p.m. at the funeral home.

Will was born Aug. 5, 1917, in Goodrich, N.D., to James Ellsworth and Helen Wilson Davis. He had two older brothers, former North Dakota governor, John E. Davis and David E. Davis, both of whom predeceased Will.

Will grew up in Bismarck and attended Bismarck High School, where he was an Eagle Scout and state champion in both tennis and bugling. He also played football and hockey. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1939 with a dual degree in business and engineering. At the University of Minnesota he served as the president of the Junior Class, where he met his wife to be, the Minnesota homecoming queen, Enid Dygert.

During World War II, Will had a distinguished career as a technical advisor for the Honeywell Corporation working on strategic initiatives such as submarine detection systems, along with newly developed technologies for aviation, including the automatic pilot and radar bombing systems. Will married Enid Dygert on Oct. 17, 1942, during the middle of his war activities.

After the war in 1948, Will and Enid moved to Keokuk, Iowa, where they raised their family. Will bought the Seither & Cherry Company, building it into a multi-state plumbing, HVAC and electrical contracting firm. He also founded Davis Development Corporation and built a cattle ranching operation in Sheridan County, N.D. He retired from active business in the middle 1980s, and has since lived part time in Naples, Fla., along with Keokuk.

During his business career in Keokuk, Will served the community in a number of ways, starting as president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, then participating as a member of the Chamber for years, along with becoming a Paul Harris Fellow with the Rotary club, and chairing the Urban Renewal Commission during the 1960s, credited for much of the new development that occurred in Keokuk during that time frame. Will served Boy Scouts in a number of ways, receiving the Silver Beaver Award for his contributions to Scouting in the area. He developed and coached a very successful youth hockey program in Keokuk as well. Beginning in 1969, Will was elected to the State Senate of Iowa for two terms. He also served as both an Elder and Deacon of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, playing a key role in its reconstruction after the original church burned down.

He is survived by his four children, Pat (Davis) Raney, Dr. Wilson L. Davis Jr., Barbara Davis and James Davis; seven grandchildren, Joseph Raney, Jane Raney, Kate Warman, Jay Davis, Kathryn Davis, Ashleigh Davis and Drew Davis; three great-grandchildren, Zavior Raney, Ezzera Raney and Destiny Raney; and his sister, Mary (Davis) Keating, Wayzata, Minn.

Will was predeceased by his wife, Enid Dygert Davis.

Memorials have been established at the United Presbyterian Church, 102 Main St., Keokuk, IA 52632 and the Mississippi Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America, 3007 Flint Hills Dr., Burlington, IA 52601.