Walter Davis (Floydada)
He was born on June 29, 1940, to J.D. and Elna Davis in Talco, Texas. The oldest of six children, he grew up in a two-room house in Weinert, Texas. He gave his life to Jesus at Weinert Baptist Church in 1951, walking the aisle barefooted at eleven.
Walter was a math whiz from a young age. He represented Weinert School at the state UIL meet in Number Sense in 1956 and 1958. After graduating from Weinert High School, he received his Bachelor’s Degree from McMurry College and his Master’s and a Ph.D. in Education from North Texas State University. He taught in public schools for a few years before becoming Assistant Superintendent of Schools at Ralls, Texas.
In 1974, Walter decided to buy his father’s custom combine business. He cut wheat with his fleet of combines as far north as Nebraska and then returned to South Texas for the milo harvest. In 1989, he sold his combines and began exclusively doing construction. He built many of the metal barns in Haskell and Floyd County. He put up lots of garage doors and openers, and he built lots of fences. One of his best-known construction projects sits just south of Floydada – Assiter Pumpkin Ranch’s beautiful red barn with cupolas.
In the Fall of 1963, Walter’s sister Mary Alice Davis introduced him to her friend Mary Alice Withers, a student at Texas Women’s University in Denton, Texas. After a whirlwind courtship and his threat to move to Alaska if they weren’t getting married, Walter and Mary Alice Withers were married on August 14, 1964, at First Baptist Church Floydada. They had four children – Wally, Cindee, Katharine, and Nathan. Walter said they had just celebrated 116 years of marriage – 58 for him and 58 for her!
Walter truly loved people – his wife, his kids, their spouses, his grandkids, their spouses, his great-grandkids, the people he worked with, the people he worked for, his extended family, his church family, and so many more. If he loved you, you were prayed for by him – every morning, BY NAME.
Walter was a great husband and a wonderful daddy, but he found his true calling when he became “Papa.” Papa worked in the FBC Floydada church nursery for 45 years straight. He was “Papa” to every baby and toddler that came through the door, and he loved them all. He was truly the baby whisperer!
Walter is survived by his wife of 58 years – Mary Alice Davis; four children – Wally Davis (Emily), Cindee Appling (Mark), Katharine Wright (David), and Nathan Davis; thirteen grandchildren – Will Appling (Lindsay), Laurie Blott (Evan), Christy Murff (Garrett), John Ryan Davis (Jordan), Brittany Davis, Timothy Appling, Tiffany Davis, Davis Wright, Conner Wright, Ben Appling, and Landry Appling; six great-grandchildren – Elijah McGregor, Lincoln Appling, Greyson Appling, Molly Murff, Eliza Blott, and Julia Rose Davis; three brothers, two sisters, a host of nieces and nephews, and a multitude of friends who were like family.
Memorials should be made to FBC Floydada Nursery.
