Gordon Richard Davis

Mr. Gordon Richard Davis, 51, of Thurmont, died Tuesday, December 19, 2006 at the Southern Maryland Hospital in Clinton, MD.

Born in Kamiah, ID on January 4, 1955 he was the son of Harold Clinton Davis of Kamiah and the late Jill Daniels Davis.

Gordon Davis was a star at WJLA-TV. He never appeared on camera but if over the last decade you saw pictures of any news event that happened during the overnight hours, then you saw Gordon's work. For ten years Davis covered the news of the night for ABC 7 as a photographer and live truck operator. Sometimes the stories he worked were big sometimes they were small but Gordon's colleagues say his effort was always the same, he was a pro. Each and every night Gordon came to work at an hour when most are ending their days. Working alone in situations that would test others Gordon consistently put forth his best. He insisted that the job be done right and that the story be told right.

Gordon Davis' own story is rich and varied. He was born in a home built by his father. His house was crowded with siblings and a sense of adventure. As a young man Gordon was a serious rodeo rider. He was an authentic cowboy, a bareback bronco buster! For awhile he even fought western forest fires. Davis came east and started in the TV business in the 1980's. He married Carol Thomas and along came their daughter Megan. Gordon felt blessed to have good friends with whom to share his passion for barbecue and to have a hunting dog, Blackbelt, he called the best a man could have.

Gordon Davis loved journalism and he was good at it. More than anything, though he loved his family and he was very good at being a husband and a father. His wife and daughter were the reason he worked overnight shift all these years. He did it so he could pick Megan up after school. He did it so he wouldn't miss her dance performances and he did it so the family could always eat dinner together. He worked that tough shift without complaint. He taught Megan that, complaining just slows things down.

Gordon Davis was a good man who made those around him better and he will be missed.

Besides his father, Gordon is survived by his wife Carole of 18 years and his 15 year old daughter, Megan. Gordon is also survived by his sister Mary Davis of Portland, OR, brothers, Harold, Jr and wife Joanie of Rathdrum ID, Timothy and wife Sheila of Roosevelt, UT, Ronald and wife Linda and Gregory and wife Marcia all of Post Falls, ID. He leaves behind 17 nieces and nephews: Amy, Kristie, Betsy, Harold,III, Melissa, Grant, Jack, Megan, Robbie, William, Randy, Julia, Tammy, Jason, Jeff, Jenni and Ricky, great uncle and aunt Bob and Vivian Daniels of Payette, ID; aunt Erika Daniels and cousin Rebecca Klits of California; mother-in-law, Virginia Thomas, sister-in-law Joy Thomas; brother-in-law James Thomas and wife Angel as well as many loving cousins, extended family and dear friends.

Visitation: See above for visitation times prior to the service.

Services: Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 23, 2006 at 12 Noon at the Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, MD with Rev's David Lewis and Ronald B. Crawford officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Cemetery, Thurmont, MD

The family will receive friends from 10 until noon Saturday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Megan Davis Scholarship Fund c/o WJLA 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 or in loving memory of Gordon's Mother, Jill, to the Syringa Hospital Hospice, 607 West Main St., Grangeville, ID 83530.