H.R. No. 274
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the
passing of Major Marcus Marion Davis, Jr. (Ret.), of San Antonio on
July 16, 2010, at the age of 74; and
WHEREAS, Marcus Davis was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on
July 1, 1936, to Marcus Davis, Sr., and Winfred Woods Davis; he
received his early education at Chambliss Children's House, the
laboratory school of the Tuskegee Institute; after graduating from
Tuskegee High School, he studied at the Tuskegee Institute and went
on to attend Tennessee State University; and
WHEREAS, In 1959, he answered his nation's call to duty and
enlisted in the U.S. Army; two years later, he resumed his studies
at Tennessee State, graduating in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in
chemistry and a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air
Force; he continued to pursue his education while serving in the
military, and he received a master's degree from Webster
University; and
WHEREAS, He got married in the mid-1960s, and he and his wife,
Mary, shared a fulfilling relationship for 44 years that was
further enriched by the addition of a daughter, Marnice; and
WHEREAS, Marcus Davis retired from a 20-year career with the
Air Force in 1985, having earned the rank of major and having served
as the liaison for social action and diversity training at Lackland
Air Force Base; he then worked for the San Antonio Metropolitan
Health District for a decade; and
WHEREAS, Major Davis was initiated into the Alpha Theta
Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity in 1956, and he remained an
active member of the organization for the rest of his life; among
his leadership roles were polemarch of the San Antonio Alumni
Chapter and founding member and executive assistant of the
International Kappa Khorus, from which he received an award for
distinguished service at the 75th Grand Chapter Meeting in
Washington, D.C.; and
WHEREAS, A man of strong faith, Major Davis further
distinguished himself through his involvement at St. Philip's
Episcopal Church in San Antonio, where in addition to serving on the
vestry, he was president of the choir and a member of the pastoral
search committee; he expressed his concern for others as a
volunteer for the Living Stones Ministries, which aided the poor in
downtown San Antonio; and
WHEREAS, Although Marcus Davis is deeply missed, he leaves
behind a legacy of devotion to his family, his community, and his
country that continues to inspire all those who knew and loved him;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Major Marcus Marion
Davis, Jr., and extend sincere condolences to the members of his
family: to his wife, Mary; to his daughter, Marnice; to his
brothers, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew W. Davis (Ret.) and his wife,
Celestel, and Lieutenant General Russell C. Davis (Ret.) and his
wife, Shirley; to his aunts, Gwendolyn Woods Butler and Edythe
Cherry; to his godchildren, Taylor Davis and Renee Saylor; and to
his other relatives and friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Major
Marcus Marion Davis, Jr.
McClendon
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 274 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on February 24, 2011.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House