Jimmy Lynn Davis, Sr.

Services for Jimmy L. Davis, 77, of Gladewater will be Sunday, January 15, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Gladewater with Brother Bailey Harris officiating. Burial will follow at Gladewater Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 7:00 p.m. Saturday evening at Croley Funeral Home in Gladewater. Mr. Davis passed away on Thursday, January 12, 2017 in Gladewater at his home surrounded by family.

Mr. Davis was born April 3, 1939 in DeKalb, Texas to the late G.F. Davis and Hazel Marie Hefley Davis. He graduated from Maud High School in 1957 and served a year in the National Guard Reserves at Fort Polk, Louisiana during the Cuban Crisis. Later Jimmy attended the East Texas Municipal Academy. Special training in various areas of police work was achieved throughout the years. Jimmy began working for the Gladewater Police Department in 1970 at a salary of $430.00 per month. By 1977 he had moved through the ranks to become Chief of GPD and helped “clean up Gladewater”. He served as a board member on the Longview-Gregg County Centurion Club from 2003-2006. He was also presented with the Gregg County Crime Stoppers Award. After 35 years of service to the citizens of Gladewater, he retired on June 29, 2006 and was presented a Gold Key to the City in addition to a proclamation. The East Texas Police Chiefs Association presented him with a plaque for his dedication and service. Gregg County Sheriff Maxey Cerliano wrote a personal letter of congratulations upon Jimmy’s retirement.

In the early 70’s, Jimmy was the Youth Director at Memorial Baptist Church in Gladewater and loved taking the youth groups to church camp. Jimmy and his family have been longtime members of the First Baptist Church in Gladewater.

Jimmy loved Gladewater and worked extremely hard to make it a great place to live, work and raise a family. If there was a community event, he would be there behind the scenes making it happen. Jimmy served as President of the Gladewater Chamber of Commerce from 2002-2003 and received the Citizen of the Year Award in 2002, the Bradley Award in 2003, Citizen of the Month in July of 1998 and October of 2006. He served as President of the Lions Club from 2001-2002 and received the Lions Award in March of 2011. Jimmy served on the Manna House Board of Directors and volunteered many hours there. He was honored to serve as the Past Master of Gladewater Masonic Lodge #852 and on November 22, 1997 he became a Noble of the Mystic Shrine in Sharon Temple of Tyler, Texas.

Friends and family know how much he loved his 1987 El Camino which no one was allowed to drive. Anything Conway Twitty recorded immediately became a favorite; but he also enjoyed listening to Roy Orbison and Waylon Jennings. His hobbies included target practice and collecting guns. His CB handle was “Goldfinger”. The wife of one of his officers commented that “Jimmy wears more jewelry when he mows the yard than he does clothes”. He loved caring for his home and could be seen watering the lawn regularly.

The family wishes to thank all the friends who have showered them with love, support and prayer during Jimmy’s illness.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years Nancy McGuire Davis; daughter Amy Lynn Davis better known as “Daddy’s Princess” of Gladewater; two sons Jimmy Lynn “Bubba” Davis, Jr. of Waskom and Richard Jeffrey “Jeff” Davis and Donna Carpenter of Jefferson; sister-in-law Carrie Davis and niece Sherri Jo Davis of Maud; nephew Tony Davis and wife Kathy of Phoenix, Arizona as well as many other loving family and friends.

Jimmy is preceded in death by his parents, brother Joe Davis, sister Glenda Davis Huggins and in-laws W.A. and Tressie McGuire.