William S. "Bill" Davison

William S. “Bill” Davison, 92, of Saint James, Missouri, formerly of Williamsburg, passed away Wednesday, September 6, 2017. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, September 9, 2017 at Dengel & Son Mortuary. The family will meet with friends one hour prior to service. Interment Mount Hope Cemetery, Williamsburg. Bill was born July 5, 1925 at this grandparents Spriggs home in West Mineral, Kansas, the son of David William and Mazie Blanche Spriggs Davison. His Dad worked at Kansas Gas and Electric and they lived along the Neosho River at Service Valley, Kansas. He attended Service Valley Grade School for grades 1–6. He often walked to school or rode his pony. He attended grades 7-12 in McCune and graduated in 1943 from McCune Rural High School. He was an outstanding football and track athlete. He played basketball, but that “wasn’t his sport”. He grew up hunting and fishing and continued to enjoy those activities throughout his life. He was able to participate in the KU relays and placed 2nd in the 220-yard dash and ran on the McCune 880-yard relay team that placed 3rd. Bill enlisted in the United States Army in the summer of 1943 and was inducted at Fort Leavenworth in August. He spent the remainder of his military service in the United States. From September 1943 to February of 1944, he was stationed at Camp Callan, CA. From there he went to Camp Davis, NC and in May 1944, went to Camp Stewart, GA. In October 1944, he was transferred to Camp Gordon, GA and in November was transferred to Fort Jackson, SC, where he stayed until he returned to Fort Leavenworth for discharge in February 1946. Although he desired to be a pilot, his vision wasn’t good enough, so he spent his time as a cryptographer. He later served in the Army Reserves. After his discharge from active duty, he attended Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in July 1949 and a Master’s degree in August 1950. While he was in Pittsburg, he dated Pat Marchbanks and on June 9, 1946, they became engaged. They married August 31, 1947 at the McCune Methodist Church. It was so hot that day that the candle tapers melted and drooped over to the side. They lived in Pittsburg until the summer of 1949 when they moved to Oswego, KS. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on August 31, 2012. Bill began his career in education at Oswego High School as a teacher and assistant coach. After two years, he became principal of the East Side Grade School, an all-black school, and the West Side Grade School, the all-white school. He served as principal for the following three school terms. Both Nancy and Alan were born while Bill and Pat lived in Oswego. In June 1954, with the temperatures above 100 degrees, Bill and Pat moved to Grenola, KS in Bill’s uncles farm truck. Bill’s new job was Superintendent of the Grenola schools. His first challenge was finishing a new building. He taught social science along with his superintendent duties. In June 1956, Moline, KS – about eight miles to the east of Grenola, recruited Bill to be their superintendent. Bill and Pat thoroughly enjoyed their six years in Moline, and fondly remembered those years as one of the favorite times of their lives. In fact, they continued to be invited guests back to the Moline Alumni Banquet each Memorial Day weekend until they were no longer able to attend. They attended nearly every year and thoroughly enjoyed keeping up with past students and teachers. In the spring of 1962, the Oxford Kansas school board came calling and offered Bill the superintendent position. Oxford was about 60 miles west of Moline. Oxford was a larger school and had facilities set in a campus like setting. While he was superintendent there, he oversaw the building of a new high school. The family lived in a rural home about a mile and half east of town, allowing them the ability to have sheep and chickens, and the always present dogs. We could just have easily chronicled Bill’s life through the dogs he owned as opposed to the places he lived! In the summer of 1968, Bill became the superintendent of West Franklin District 287, which was comprised of two high schools and three grade schools – Appanoose Grade School, Pomona High School and Grade School and Williamsburg High School and Grade School. He and Pat lived in Pomona for a few months, then found a home northwest of Williamsburg and moved there for several years. They then purchased “the big house” in town and completed many renovations. In 1975, they won the bid for the house building class at Williamsburg High School and had their dream home built at 301 West South Street in Williamsburg. They had ten acres, which allowed them to have a milk cow, horses, and chickens, along with the usual dogs. Never a cat fan, Bill tolerated the cats that appeared from time to time. After Alan graduated from college, Bill stopped being superintendent and became the counselor. He did what he loved most – interacted with students – until he retired in May 1987. Throughout his life, he was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan, although did convert to a KC Royals fan. It worked because the teams were in different leagues. He closely followed KU basketball and KSU football. He enjoyed all four of his grandchildren and never missed an opportunity to attend a soccer match, baseball game, tennis match or academic activity as they were growing up. In college and after, they kept him involved in their lives through phone calls, letters, pictures and cards. He particularly enjoyed his great granddaughters and frequently shared with everyone how smart they are. He was a member of the United Methodist Church and was an active member wherever he lived. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Lions Club. Survivors include his daughter Nancy Long of Overland Park, KS; son and daughter-in-law Alan and Debbie Davison of Richland, MO; grandchildren Christopher Long of Wichita, KS, Katie Long Speakes and husband Jason Speakes of Arlington, TX, David Davison of Jefferson City, MO, and Amanda Davison Fergusion and husband Comador Ferguson of Clarksville, TN; great granddaughters Claire Olivia Speakes of Arlington, TX, Campbell Elizabeth Speakes of Arlington, TX, and Isabelle Mazie Long of Wichita, KS; sister Alice Davison Farmer and husband Gene Farmer of Goldsboro, NC; nieces and nephews; sisters-in-law Lana Marchbanks Mosler Surridge of Parsons, KS and Helen Fagar Marchbanks of Tulsa, OK; and nieces and nephews. Bill is preceded in death by his wife Patsy Ruth Marchbanks Davison; parents David and Mazie Davison; and son-in-law Dennis Long. The family suggests memorial contributions to Williamsburg Anchor Lodge #224 c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067. Family and friends are encouraged to post their condolences and memories on Bill’s Tribute Wall at www.dengelmortuary.com