Harold Shelley Davis

SUNDAY JANUARY 26, 2003
Harold Shelley Davis (83) died Jan. 6, 2003, at the University Hospital (SLC) as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Harold was born March 23, 1919, in Shelley, Idaho, to Francis Marion Davis and Mary Ellen Shelley. Harold graduated from Shelley High School and the University of Idaho with a degree in engineering. He was one of the first young men in the state of Idaho to earn his Eagle Scout badge. He served an LDS mission to the State of New York where he also played his trumpet in the Hill Cumorah Pageant. After his mission, he taught engineering at the University of Idaho. Harold served in the US Navy from 1944 to 1946 in Oklahoma, Treasure Island, and in Chicago, teaching electronics at the Armed Forces schools.
Harold received his doctorate in Civil Engineering at Northwestern University. He married Reva Judd on June 25, 1947, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Harold also taught at Washington State University before working the next 30 years at the Hanford Atomic Plant in Richland, Washington. In 1960, he received one of the American Society of Civil Engineering's highest national awards for his work on structural design. Harold (trumpet) and Reva (saxophone and piano) enjoyed playing with their dance band at many LDS ward dances throughout eastern Washington. While in Richland, he served in many LDS church callings, including the Stake Presidency, Bishop and Patriarch.
Harold enjoyed the outdoors. He and Reva loved to fish. On their honeymoon, they fished in Canada and on their 50th wedding anniversary they took a float plane fishing trip off the coast of British Columbia. Grandpa Davis loved taking any of the 25 grandchildren fishing in his nice 18' bass boat, but he was happiest when he and Reva were fishing Deer Creek or Schofield in his 60- year-old 12' Crestliner-- always and only with pop gear and a worm (and they almost always caught their limits)! He enjoyed hiking all over Utahfrom the Uintahs, to Snow Canyon--and snow skied 2-3 times a week until he was 80 years old (he would say I got my money's worth today as skiing was free at his age). He had a passion for learning and studied extensively the history of ancient Central America before visiting there several times. In 1989-90, Harold and Reva served an LDS mission to the Polynesia Cultural Center. Before going to the Center each day, Harold would get up early to hike or snorkel somewhere on the Island. A few years ago, Harold took up scuba diving and was at the time the oldest person to certify in diving in Can cun, Mexico.
Harold loved doing Family History and spent the last two years doing extensive genealogical research. He served at the BYU Family History Center and was so happy to help others with their genealogy. To do his own family history with engineering exactness, he had 3 computers at home set up to compare and correct all the information he collected.
Harold is survived by his wife, Reva; children: Harold (Springville), Janet Harris (Pullman, WA), Jean Owen Krissler (Heber City) and James (Richland, WA), sisters: Marion Oak (Shelley, ID), Norma Dixon (St. George), Louree Walker (Idaho Falls, ID), and a brother: Kent (Orem). He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Francis Burtenshaw; two brothers, Ralph and Grant; and son-in-law, Douglas Owen.
Reva, also injured in the accident, is still recovering and in order that she can hopefully attend the funeral, services will be held Saturday, February 1, 2003, at the Edgemont 7th - 2nd Ward chapel, 555 E. 3230 North, Provo, Utah at 11:00 a.m. A viewing will be held Friday evening Jan. 31, 2003, in Berg Mortuary, 185 East Center, Provo, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. There will also be a viewing from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Edgemont chapel just prior to the funeral. Interment will be at the East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery.
Since Harold was a teacher throughout his life--electronics in the Navy, Civil Engineering at Universities, snow skiing and fishing with his children and grandchildren, and Family History at the BYU Family History Center-- in lieu of flowers, please make donations to the LDS Church Perpetual Education Fund.