On December 30, 2017, right before midnight, Duane Davis, age 93 passed away peacefully at the Manistee County Medical Care Facility with his family by his side. Duane was born in Detroit, Michigan to the late Herbert and Amber (Richards) Davis. He lost the love of his life, wife Pamela Davis in 2005. Duane’s oldest son Glenn “Mike” Davis of Marquette, Michigan had just passed nine days before him. Also preceding him in death were three siblings: Amber Heythaler, Herbert Davis Junior, and Donald Davis.
Surviving him are his daughter-in-law Mary O’Donnell of Marquette, Michigan; son Gary (Mary) Davis of Amery, Wisconsin; and daughter Lori (Bill) Hall of Hesperia, Michigan. Also surviving are his grandchildren Joshua Shriman (Ann Del Mariani) Davis of Leelanau, Michigan; Peter (Bridgette) Davis of Big Lake, Minnesota; and Christopher Hall of Wayland, Michigan; great grandchildren, Tahlia, Theo, Reuben, DeLainie, Charlotte, Amber, Willow, and Collin. Also numerous extended family and friends.
Duane was part of the “Greatest Generation” and fought alongside his comrades in the Pacific theatre of WWII. He was a sergeant for the 503rd parachute infantry. He and his battalion saw ground action, amphibious landings, and jumps in New Guinea and the Philippines. The most vicious of all attacks was when they jumped on Fortress Corregidor liberating the island from Japanese forces. Duane earned many medals including a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, however, didn’t often mention them due to witnessing others perish.
Duane returned home in 1945 and went to work for the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company, where he worked until he retired. He started out in maintenance, then the billing department, transferred to Iron Mountain, Michigan, where he sold commercial natural gas, and ended his career managing the Manistee and Ludington, Michigan offices.
He was the ultimate sportsman enjoying fly fishing, bird hunting with his many dogs, and deer hunting in his beloved Upper Peninsula. He traveled the back roads always armed with maps and had many secret fishing holes.
Duane’s family decided in lieu of a formal service to spread his ashes this summer by one of his favorite fishing spots. We would like to thank the community as a whole for always looking out for him and the many medical care providers for caring for him until the end.