Theodore ‘Ted’ or ‘Red’ Wellington Davis passed away peacefully at the age of 94 on the morning of June 11, 2022. Ted was being visited and comforted by family and friends at the Hammond Health Services care center in Hammond, Wisconsin, where he resided in an assisted living apartment for several years.
Ted was born in Glenwood City in St. Croix County, Wisconsin on October 19, 1927. He was the second child and only son of Almeda (Wenum) Davis and Ralph Davis.
As a skinny freckled auburn- haired boy growing up on Eau Galle Road in Spring Valley, Wisconsin, ‘Red’ attended St. John’s Lutheran Church with his parents and sister, although the pastor teased Red that he was a bit lax in attendance. Ted told many stories about his Spring Valley life, his school days, winter speed skating, swimming and diving in the Eau Galle River in summer, playing snare drums in the school’s marching band, his first job at age 12 nailing egg crates — and of course, the harrowing flood of 1942 when he was 15.
In early 1945 at age 17, Ted joined the U.S. Navy and took part in the Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign, serving his country as a seaman in the 23rd Naval Construction Battalion on the island of Guam. After the war, he finished high school and met his future wife at a dance in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. Mavis Thompson, “the girl with the big brown eyes.” They married and traveled west, living and working in Oregon, Washington and Montana, then settled back in Pierce County, Wisconsin, with their 5 children. Ted worked for the M.A. Mortenson construction company as a carpenter, built a house for his family in Trimbelle Township, and retired at age 62.
Ted loved nature, especially the majestic purple mountains of the American West. He took his young family often to Yellowstone Park, later the Black Hills, and raised his children in the country near hills, woods and streams. He loved horses, hunting trips, tours of Europe, drives along the Mississippi River, gardening, woodcrafts, and his riding lawn mower. He enjoyed funny TV shows, live theater, music of all kinds, and history. His favorite book was “Team of Rivals,” favorite movie “Lonesome Dove” and favorite music the soundtrack from “Amadeus.” He passed on to his family his love for nature, his curiosity, his restlessness, and his humor. We’ll never forget his expressive curses, his struggles and resilience, his distinctive laugh over the funny stories he told, and his work and sacrifice for family.
Ted was preceded in death by parents Ralph and ‘Mede’ Davis, wife Mavis, and sister Glydden Moskewitz.
Ted is survived by his children Judy Davis, Leslie Jo Davis (Jim DeYoung), Jill Davis (Nick Reeder), Susan Davis and Theodore Scott Davis; grandchildren Bran don and Zachary Greenland and their families, Victoria Griffin and her children Dezeray, Izayah and Kaylib; Maddison Davis and son Khai.
Special thanks to the providers at the Hammond Senior Living for such compassionate and attentive care, all the loving people at Adoray Home Health & Hospice, and the graciousness of the folks at O’Connell Family Funeral & Cremation Services. Most of all, thanks to his cousin and godchild Jackie Davis Langer for her great help and friendship to Ted in his final years, and to cousin Andrea Burns, Geriatric NP, for her medical care and calm presence all the way to the end.
A memorial service celebrating Ted’s life will be 11 a.m., Saturday July 23 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, S520 Church Avenue in Spring Valley, Wisconsin. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at St. John’s. Memorials may be directed to St. John’s Lutheran Church. Memorial and cremation services entrusted to the O’Connell Family Funeral Homes.
