Elmer Leroy "Tex" Davis

"You can take a man out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the man."

Tex was born in Sadler, Texas on July 27, 1925, one of six children, to Jesse Lee and Edith Worley Davis, attending school in Wichita Falls. He passed away on February 22, 2008 with his family by his side.

During the Great Depression, the family moved to California where he worked at Mare Island Shipyard in Vallejo entering the army at 17 on March 9, 1943 in Monterey, Calif. He completed his basic training in Barkley, Texas and was assigned to the 139th Ordinance Heavy Motor Maintenance Company as an automotive mechanic until November 1943. From February of 1944 to December 1945, Tex was assigned to the 505th Ordinance Heavy Maintenance Tank Company in England. He participated in the Battles of Normandy, landing on Normandy Beach D-Day plus 7, Western France, Rhineland, Central Europe and Ardennes-Alsace (The Battle of the Bulge).

From July 1946 to December 1947, he was with the 7370th Service Company in Bad Nauheim, Germany and the 72nd Truck Company in Friedberg, Germany where he met his future wife, Ella Schnierle, while picking up a fellow soldier having Christmas dinner with her family, as was custom. From May 1948 to June 1952, he was with "B" Troop, 4th Constablinary Battalion and the 16th Infantry Regiment in Austria. Ella was not able to leave Germany to visit him, so would secretly cross the border over streams and through the woods to be together. The young couple had many memorable adventures.

Tex and Ella were married on March 15, 1952 in Bad Nauheim, Germany. He sometimes teased her that he married "my little enemy" and she would humorously respond "so did I." Tex brought her to Texas before he was assigned to the 606th Amphibious Truck Company in Rocheford, France. Tex was awarded many decorations and awards. In March of 1957, Tex entered the Air Force becoming a First Sergeant and was stationed in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Frankfurt, Germany, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Wichita Falls, Texas before retiring from the military in 1965, when he moved his family to Carson City, Nevada. There he worked for the Nevada Department of Prisons, retiring as a captain after 17 years.

Tex enjoyed sports, the outdoors, traveling and listening to his pocket radio. He played tennis, table tennis and baseball in his younger years and later umpired baseball games in Carson City and the surrounding areas. In his later years, he enjoyed early morning swims at the Carson City pool and the company of the staff and fellow swimmers. He had a wonderful sense of humor and could tell great stories. His retirement allowed him to travel to every corner of the world and spend time with his grandchildren, who will miss their 'papa'. His greatest pride and joy was his family.

Tex is survived by his loving wife, Ella; children, Elmer "Roy" Davis of Carson City, Monika and her husband Jeffrey Frank of Washoe Valley, and Heidi and her husband Mike DelChiaro of Reno; grandchildren, Erika and Alix Frank, Aren and Ellie DelChiaro, and Shantell Davis. Son Jesse "Bill" Davis passed in 1994.

The family would like to thank the Reno Veteran's Administration Hospital medical staff for their care and compassion.

A celebration of Tex's life will be held at Walton's Chapel of the Valley at 1281 N. Roop Street in Carson City on February 29, 2008 at 2 p.m. with burial following at Lone Mountain Cemetery.