Thom Davis

All who knew Thom Davis would agree that there was no one quite like him. He was the sort of person who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, but he always did so in a respectful and thoughtful way. It was easy to see that his son and grandson were his greatest source of pride and joy, and the time Thom spent with his family was truly priceless in his book. He was one of the most resourceful and astute people around, and his ability to fix anything was simply amazing. A longtime resident of the community he loved, Thom touched the lives of those around him in a special way. He will never be forgotten.

It seems only fitting that Thom’s journey began during a time that was a colorful as he was. It was the 1950s when televisions were becoming a regular part of our living rooms and Elvis Presley took the music world by storm. This was also the decade that witnessed Rosa Parks refuse to give up her seat on an Alabama bus, and by the time the decade drew to a close we had added Alaska and Hawaii as our 49th and 50th states. It was in August of 1955 that Victor and Dorena (Mynhier) Davis were eagerly awaiting the birth of their new baby as the days of summer were drawing to a close in Lagrange, Indiana. The big day finally arrived on August 13th when the baby boy they named Thomas Ray drew his first breath. He was one of eight children in his family as he was raised alongside his sisters, DuAnn, Laureen, Tammy, Rebecca, and Cheryl and his brother, James. Sadly, his sister Linda was stillborn. The Davis children were all very close in age so they spent much of their time playing together. Laureen was born prematurely so she was very small, and although he meant well, Thom’s mother had to watch him closely as he was known to carry Laureen off the couch by her head!

In many ways Thom was a young boy of his generation, and he made some amazing memories while growing up. His Grandfather Myhnier lived down the alley and would come over to their house every day. They often walked to uptown Stroh, Indiana, to get the mail. This was quite a sight to see, too, as his grandpa had a limp so Thom and his sisters often walked like him. Anything he did, his imaginary friend, John Kocher, did as well, though not surprisingly, John tended to get into more mischief. Interestingly, the Kocher family lived next door but there was no one by the name of John. Thom regularly tagged along after his sisters, especially DuAnn, which often made them mad as they didn’t really want him as their shadow. He was known to get into trouble for peeing on the neighbor’s flowers at home. Then there was also the chewing tobacco incident when his grandpa finally gave him some of his chewing tobacco since he was forever whining about it! It was something to remember as the tobacco made Thom sick. For his education, Thom attended local schools, graduating from Prairie Heights High School in 1973. He then attended Ivy Tech in Fort Wayne for two years.

New and exciting changes were in store for Thom when he met the young girl of his dreams. Her name was Diana Fugate, and they met through mutual friends in 1982. Together, in 1985, they welcomed their son, Cale, into their hearts and home. Thom had already formed a special relationship with Cale while he was in utero and moving like crazy as Thom was able to calm him right down. On August 23, 2003, Thom and Diana were married in Lagrange. He supported his family through his work at Forest River in Goshen for many years.

There was never anything that was of greater significance in Thom’s life than his family. He loved spending time with his son, and later his grandson, Trenton. There were memorable trips to the football games to watch the Green Bay Packers play, drag racing in Indianapolis every year, and trips to the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo as well as Sea World in Ohio. Thom was so proud to witness his son, Cale, graduate from Air Force basic training in San Antonio. In many ways, Thom's father, Victor, was just an average guy who could build a house. It has also been said that if a car transmission was scattered on the floor, Victor could put it back together and fix it. Thom inherited his ability to fix almost anything from his father and he passed this knowledge on to Cale. From his father, Cale learned to work on cars and, in general, take care of what needed to be taken care of. In addition to sharing his love for the Green Bay Packers and fixing things, Thom also passed along his love for ice fishing and hunting, and he was the one who taught Cale to shoot a gun.

There was no one who met Thom Davis and didn’t leave unchanged. He was so down to earth with a strong dose of common sense, yet he also had the best sense of humor as well. Thom was quiet and getting to know him was kind of like peeling back the layers of an onion, yet he was so genuine and giving. Generous beyond compare, he would give his last dollar to someone if needed. Thom was the type of person who could be hard-headed and stubborn at times, and he was a man of many passions. Deeply loved, he will be forever missed.

Thomas Ray Davis, formerly of Lagrange, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, October 16, 2016, at his residence in Fort Wayne. Thomas family includes his wife, Diana Davis of Fort Wayne; son, Joshua Caleb and Kristine Davis of Fort Wayne; grandson, Trenton Ray Davis; sister, DuAnn Huffman of Lagrange; sister, Laureen and Joseph Donnay of Maricopa, Arizona; sister, Tammy and Kenneth Duzan of Lagrange; sister, Rebecca Davis of Lagrange; sister, Cheryl Davis of South Bend; brother, James and Darlene Davis of Hudson; brother-in-law, Brackie and Lori Fugate of LaGrange; seven nieces and six nephews; nine great nieces; and eight great nephews. Thomas was preceded in death by a sister, Linda Davis. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. at Hite Funeral Home, 403 South Main Street, Kendallville. Pastor Rick Davis will officiate the funeral. Visitation will take place before the funeral service from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Hite Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to the American Lung Association or American Cancer Association. Send a condolence to the family at www.hitefuneralhome.com. Arrangements entrusted to Hite Funeral Home of Kendallville.