Thurman "Oscar" Davis

CLEAR LAKE | Thurman "Oscar" Davis, 89, Clear Lake, died Monday, Dec. 30, 2013, at his home. 

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 10, 2014, at the Clear Lake United Methodist Church, 508 Second Ave. N., Clear Lake, with the Rev. Bernie Colorado officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake. Military Honors will be provided by the United States Marine Corps Honor Guard.  According to his wishes his body has been cremated.   Burial will be at Mount Vernon Township, Thornton, at a later date.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of North Iowa or the Clear Lake United Methodist Church.

Oscar was born Feb. 6, 1924, in Carpenter, the son of Thurman Allen and Verna Iva (Jones) Davis. He graduated from Swaledale High School in 1941. Oscar married Maxine Oehlert June 2, 1941, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. Oscar enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943 and served in the Pacific during World War II. Following an honorable discharge, he returned to Clear Lake and "tried farming, didn't work!" He did work in sales in the farming industry selling seed corn and fertilizer. Oscar would say he was the happiest when working! Winter times saw him moving snow and other seasons he did dirt work. He loved being with people. 

Oscar loved to do hog roasts and did many. He enjoyed entertaining. You could always hear him say "What ever is fair." He went fishing up north for many years. Oscar gave away $2 bills for tips and to little kids.

Oscar is survived by his children Darlene Porter and her husband Budd, Apple Valley, Calif., Linda Smeby, Clear Lake, Ronald Davis and is wife Russalyn "Rusty", Hanlontown, and Rosann Fredin and her husband Jerry, Wichita, Kan.; grandchildren Craig Davis, Terry Smeby, Todd (Tracy) Smeby, Troy Smeby, Jeremy (Kellie) Fredin and Jaynann (Ryan) Donker; great-grandchildren Ashley Smeby, Brielle Smeby, Morgan Davis, Ava Davis, Trevor Davis, Jordan Smeby, Collin Smeby and Amber Donker, Cayden Donker, Liam Fredin and Nora Fredin.

Oscar was preceded in death by his parents, wife Maxine (Feb. 2, 2000), six brothers Gerald, Thomas, Eugene, Burl, Lawrence Stepleton and Ray Davis, sister Verna Oehlert; brother-in-law Howard Oehlert; son-in-law Byron Smeby, grandsons Chad Davis and Christopher Catania.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake, IA 50428, 641-357-2193. ColonialChapels.com