John Richard Davis, age 80, died at his home on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 in Aurora, Colorado. John, or Rich as he was called by most, was born in Binghamton, New York on April 26, 1938 to John Francis and Effie Cornelia (Connie) Davis. Rich grew up in Cambridge, New York and graduated from Cambridge Central School.
He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in September 1956 and retired as a Senior Master Sergeant in March, 1980. Rich began his Air Force career as a radar equipment technician. He spent the majority of his career as a missile instrumentation technician where he was involved in the development of launch vehicles used in the early days of the space program at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. From 1972 until he retired, Rich was a maintenance supervisor at satellite tracking ground stations in both Denver Colorado and Woomera Australia. After the Air Force, he worked in a similar role as a civilian engineer for Ford Aerospace and Aerojet for another 15 years.
Rich spent his whole life dedicated to helping others, his family, his friends, or anyone in need.
Rich was a gifted mechanic, machinist, welder and woodworker. He loved automobiles and anything of a technical nature. He thrived on DIY projects – the more difficult the better. Many of his friends and all of his family members have had the good fortune to have Rich help them in projects of one kind or another. It was not uncommon for Rich to drive thousands of miles to help with a project.
Rich loved all kinds of music, especially Jazz and Blues. He also loved dancing, a passion shared by his beloved wife of 20 years, Mary Davis. He is survived by his spouse, Maria Helene “Mary/Nena”, two sons and their wives, Richard Allen Davis and Jennifer Hansen, Steven John Davis and Shannon Kolman, two step-sons, Jeffrey Wade McCollom and Michael Clifton McCollom, (all from Denver Colorado), five siblings and their spouses, Glenn A. Davis and Coreen Howard (Murphy, NC), Stephen P. Davis and Elizabeth Harrison (Portland OR), Louis C. Davis and Dianna Cuevas (Bridgeport CT), Nancy L. Davis and Sam Brenner (Troy NY), and Jerry K. Davis and Kathleen Napoli (Newton, NJ), as well as five nieces and nephews and five step-grandchildren.
A full military service was held at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado, on November 10.