David Glenn Davis

David Glenn Shaler Davis

David was born on May 1, 1931 in Marietta, OH, to Marion Shaler and Delilah Davis. The early part of his life was during a time when the country and specifically the area around where he was born was very unsettled. The Great Depression was setting in and most employment opportunities for people of this area were disappearing. The coal industry was suffering and jobs were difficult to find. So, David's family moved to Independence Township, PA. His father, Marion, was the town constable for a period, but like most people, he worked odd jobs doing anything he could find to try to provide for his family. Some of David's earliest memories were of he and his dad working all day in the field for a farmer just so they could eat lunch and dinner with the family. His father would entice he and his sister, Judy, with coins to attend Sunday School at the local church. The kids were so interested in what they were learning, they ended up attending the church's services. This is where David's spiritual journey began.

David and Judy lived with their parents in a two-room house with a coal stove for heat. When David was twelve years old, his father passed away, leaving his mother with no means to care for her children. Delilah moved her family to Pittsburgh and worked part-time jobs to try to provide for them. When she became unemployed, she could no longer support her children. They became wards of the court and were sent to an orphanage. This was the darkest time in David's life.

Orphanages in the 1940s were rough places with many delinquent boys as residents. David rarely talked about his time there, but when he did talk about it at all, he was very somber. Most of his ire seemed to be directed toward the cruelty of the people who ran the orphanage, not just the other kids. David had written to his half-brother, Calvin Fisher, who had been a resident of the same orphanage before David was sent there. In the letter, he was so thankful for the correspondence he received from Calvin who had joined the Marines and was serving in the Pacific. David said if it had not been for the letters of encouragement from Calvin, he did not think he would have survived the experience in the orphanage.

When David turned sixteen, a social worker saw that he was intelligent and had potential, so he was transferred to a loving boys' home named the Kay House. This was a turning point in David's life, as it gave him opportunity and he began to thrive. He was able to find odd jobs such as washing windows, cleaning and painting houses, mowing, gardening and was a reliable driver for an elderly lady to earn money for clothes and other items. Mr. Kay, who ran the Kay House, invited female college students from Chatham College to visit the house and help teach the boys etiquette and how to dance while David finished high school. Also, Mr. Kay encouraged the boys to select a church to worship in every Sunday. David chose the Third Presbyterian Church in Shady Side (a suburb a Pittsburgh). His connection to God deepened during these formative years. David was an excellent student at Peabody High School, played football and was on several school committees. He graduated in 1949.

David worked hard at many jobs and earned partial scholarships from the Third Presbyterian Church allowing him to attend the University of Pittsburgh. He graduated in 1953. During his time at Pitt, he joined the wrestling team as a walk on. Even though Pitt was a wrestling powerhouse in those days and he had never wrestled (at least not where you had a referee with rules), David was awarded a scholarship. He was very proud to earn a letter on the wrestling team and stayed close friends with his college coach, Rex Peery, throughout his life.
David met Jean Bolvin at Peabody High School. They became friends and eventually began dating while David was in college. They were married on September 8, 1955. Jean was the love of his life and together they had four children, Jennifer (Jennie), Steven, Jeffrey and David.
After graduation, David was given a generous scholarship to the Western Theological Seminary, studying to become a Presbyterian minister. He graduated and was ordained in 1957. David and Jean both worked while he was in the seminary to support themselves and their new baby, Jennie, who was born in 1956.

After becoming an ordained Presbyterian minister, David was associate pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh before given his first full-time ministerial assignment in Greensburg, PA. He then had churches in Timnath, CO, Tulsa, OK, Mt. Pleasant, PA and Fort Gibson, OK. His congregations adored David and lifelong relationships were developed at all the churches at which he ministered.

David was an avid reader and collector of books. This love of literature led him to earn a Master's Degree in Literature from Colorado State University while he was a pastor in Timnath. While working on his PhD, David took a hiatus from the ministry and began a teaching career. He taught at Carver Middle School, Cascia Hall Preparatory School and then became an associate professor of English at the University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts University. In 1978, he attained his Doctorate in Literature from the University of Tulsa.
In retirement, David went on to become a master gardener, loved to tinker around the house, honed his carpentry skills and lended his beautiful tenor voice to the Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church choir. In addition, he also enjoyed playing golf with his buddies, participated as a longtime member of the Welsh Society and tutored students who were learning to read at Literacy and Evangelism International (LEI).

David's wife, Jean, passed away in 2004. Luckily for him, David became re-acquainted with a family friend, Cindy John Lerch, whose family David had known over 60 years ago in PA. They were married in 2013. The final years of David's life were spent with Cindy. She provided him with a loving relationship and a happy home until his passing. Her companionship was a great comfort to his family who knew how much he adored her.

Even though David stayed busy writing weekly sermons while he served as a minister or studying for his own educational pursuits, he always seemed to find the time to play with his kids and grandchildren or to go to their sporting events. His sons' fondest memories were of playing football with their Dad in their backyard "stadium." David was dedicated to his family and did everything he could to be the best father they could ask for. David was a loving father and husband. All his children and grandchildren sought his advice in their own decisions in life.
David passed away on July 17, 2021. He is survived by his two sons, Jeffrey and David; his wife Cindy; his two grandchildren, Peter Logan and Kyle Davis; as well as a number of loving nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 49 years, Jean; their baby son, Steven and their dear daughter, Jennie. Also deceased are brothers George, Howard, Calvin and Arnaud and sisters June, Fay, Ila, Patricia and Judy.

Funeral services will be held at the Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, August 24 at 10:00am. A reception will follow. Arrangements are under the care of Schaudt's Funeral Home in Tulsa.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made payable to the Pathways Adult Learning Center, PO Box 703064, Tulsa, OK 74170. For Venmo donations: @Pathways-AdultLearningCenter.

David will be fondly remembered by those who knew him.