TORRINGTON – John Walter “Jack” Davis died April 28, 2018.
Mr. Davis was born Oct. 25, 1923, in La Salle, Colo., the son of Walter E. Davis and Ellen Davis. In the 1920s, his parents moved to a family homestead south of Lyman, Neb.
Jack graduated from Lyman High School in 1942. The day after graduation, he and two friends were driven to Denver, Colo. Jack and one friend enlisted in the Marine Corps, the other in the Army.
He was in the first landings on four Pacific islands – New Britain, New Guinea, Peleliu and Okinawa. He also landed on Guadalcanal twice and earned battle stars for each.
He was discharged as a platoon sergeant of his unit, E company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was awarded a Purple Heart, the Pacific Theatre Medal, American Victory Medal, Sharp Shooter Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Guadalcanal Pine and Patch and the Presidential Commendation Medal.
After being sent home courtesy of a Japanese sniper, he married his high school sweetheart, Eleanor Jean Campbell, on April 28, 1946, at the Episcopal Church in Torrington. To this union was born four children – Richard Campbell, Michael Tracy, Robyn Lee and Mark Lynn. The couple spent most of their working years in the grocery business in Lyman and in Wellington, Colo.
The day Jack passed away was also his and Eleanor’s 72 anniversary.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, his oldest son, Richard, and by his sisters Sarah Hedgecock, Verna Campbell, Patricia Walters and younger brother James, as well as granddaughter Faith Marie and Bentley.
He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Eleanor Jean; daughter-in-law Mary and her children Jessica Ornelas and her children Deanna, Alicia and Gracelyn; grandson Forrest and wife Trish; son Michael and wife Kim and their sons Christopher and Scott and his family, wife Aimee and their four children, Aya, Sierra, David, and Jeremiah; son Mark and his sons Johnathan and Justin and wife Tracee and their two daughters, Cora and Eleanor Jean.
Mark was a very devoted caregiver along with his son, John.
Cremation has taken place and funeral services will be held at Grand View Cemetery in Fort Collins, Colo., at 1 p.m., Friday, May 18.
If friends and family would like to contribute to a worthy cause, the family suggests the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 7585, Topeka, KS, 66675. Please donate In Memory of John W. Davis, or online at woundedwarriorproject.org.
