John Davis

John Davis, 84 year old resident of Breezy Point, MN passed away Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at his home in Breezy Point, MN. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, January 17, 2025 at the Halvorson-Taylor Funeral Home in Brainerd, MN. A visitation will be held from 4-7 P.M. on Thursday, January 16, 2025 and from 10-11 A.M. on Friday, January 17, 2025 all at the Halvorson-Taylor Funeral Home in Brainerd, MN. Caring for John and his family is the Halvorson-Taylor Funeral Home in Brainerd, MN.
John A. Davis was born on April 9, 1940, in Mishawaka, Indiana, to the late Emery and Gladys (Freese) Davis. He grew up in South Bend, Indiana, where he graduated from John Adams High School Class of 1958. Following graduation, John proudly served in the United States Army from 1958 until his honorable discharge in 1961.
On October 23, 1963, John married Patricia Boger at Ridgedale Presbyterian Church in South Bend, Indiana. Together, they built a life filled with love, family, and shared adventures, moving first to Michigan and then Minnesota where they would eventually settle near Brainerd, Minnesota, where John worked as a Crow Wing County Court Reporter for many years before retiring in 1991. After Patricia passed away in 2006, he later united in marriage to Bonnie Vanden Avond on June 18, 2016 on the Davis property in Fairfield Township.
John had a lifelong passion for the outdoors. He loved hunting and fishing and had a special talent for raising and training Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. His dedication and expertise helped train many champion dogs. An avid collector, John had a fascination for model trains and other unique treasures. He was devoted to documenting annual phenology reports such as bird migrations to annual ice-outs. Along with that he would also chronicle his children's and grandchildren's achievements in hunting, fishing, and sports. His journals stand as a testament to his love for his family and the natural world.
John will be fondly remembered for his wise words of wisdom, his captivating stories of military service, and his deep love for family and friends. His legacy of kindness, curiosity, and storytelling will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.
John is survived by wife, Bonnie Davis; children, Deborah (Gregory) Davis Hudak, Joseph (Janette) Davis, Matthew Davis, Mike (Kate) Davis, Ben (Dawn) Davis and Bill (Renee) Vanden Avond; 22 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by parents, Emery and Gladys Davis; wife, Patricia Ann Davis; and sisters, Marcella (Robert) Williams and Patricia (Wayne) Welcome.