From: G. Ben Beauchamp <benb@alpha1.net>
To: All Sigma Chi Brothers
Sent: Tue, October 5, 2010 5:16:15 PM
Subject: Gene's Eulogy
This is the email we received from Brother Ben, allowing us to see
the beautiful talk delivered at Gene's memorial
My name is Ben Beauchamp and on September 28, 2010 – I was having early morning coffee in a
------changed my life!
I’ve never met a man I loved, respected and admired more than Gene Davis. The Cross
on my lapel was given to me by Gene nearly 50 years ago. He would not have wished
for us to be sad today, but we are. Our mere attendance reflects the affection we feel for
our departed friend. Many others tried, but were unable to be here. I thank you Jan, for
allowing me speak publicly of Gene. There are many among us that knew Gene as well
or better than I, but I’ll do my best for him. Unlike Gene, I will be brief and try to speak
without using those darn engineering terms he was so fond of. Gene was born during the
height of WWII on April 6 1943. He was a handsome child and become a handsome
man. His Daddy was an electrician installing the electrical systems in Destroyers and
other war ships in Orange Texas. Eldridge was the first born of Phyllis and Slick’s two
children. His beautiful sister, Nancy would come later, after the war. Port Arthur was no
longer a small town, as it had been when our parents grew up there and the refineries and
other industries offered the chance for many coming out of the depression to better their
lives. Mr. Davis ultimately opened an Electrical Contracting Company; he and Phyllis
raised Gene and Nancy and lived the American dream. While my parents knew the Davis
family; I first remember meeting Gene as a youngster, at the Methodist Temple in
downtown Port Arthur. Even then, Gene was an active member practicing his faith. He
graduated Thomas Jefferson High School in 1961 and was a member of the National
Honor Society as well as many other clubs and student organizations. He played football
as an end on the Yellow Jacket team. Many of his classmates and teammates are here
today to honor him. Some of you were with Jan and Gene recently and spent time in
Florida with Jimmy Johnson and other classmates at Jimmy’s home. Gene told me they
much enjoyed it. Gene was popular in high school and was a stellar student, both in
conduct and example. If you met him and got to know him, you liked him. He played the
guitar and was fun to be around. Upon graduation from Thomas Jefferson he began his
college career at “Harvard on the Neches” or more accurately, Lamar State College of
Technology in Beaumont; majoring in Electrical Engineering. Now, I know for a fact,
that my Daddy loved Gene more than me because Daddy had gone back to college later
in life and received an Electrical Engineering Degree from Lamar in the mid 50’s. Double
E’s have a special bond in that they think logically, speak math and know a heck of a lot
about everything. I still think electricity is a miracle and being a year younger than Gene,
my parents were mostly concentrating on my being potty trained before I graduated high
school. Starting Lamar in 62 and pledging Sigma Chi Fraternity was a fortuitous
choice for me. My “big brother” or mentor in that organization was Gene. I grew to
admire Gene Davis in those days. His steadfast faith, his diligence in his studies, his
maturity, his endearing friendships and his thoughtful counseling were a blessing to me.
Gene actually listened to what folks said, thought about it and made rational decisions.
What a fine example for a green south county boy. He continued this throughout his
life and I as well as others have benefited from his friendship these many years. Dennis
still says it was the only thing that kept us off death row. There was also a wild side to
Gene, I won’t even mention the ‘chug a lug’ contest he won on the beach in Galveston
during Beach Week; his prize kept us supplied with adult beverages for several days; nor
shall I discuss the Christmas when we took all the discarded gift wrapping and threw it
into his neighbor’s pool. It wouldn’t have been a big deal except the paper faded and
dyed the sides of the pool a bright pink color. Phyllis was not amused. Fortunately Slick
had a good sense of humor and our scheduled execution was commuted. I will speak of
one college event and that was a Sigma Chi, Sweetheart Ball held at the Port Arthur
Country Club. While couples dreamily danced by the pool in the moonlight, I watched in
amazement as Gene, dressed splendidly in a rented tux, quietly climbed the pool ladder
and made a perfect swan dive from the high board into the pool. The amazing thing
about that event was; emerging from the water, soaking wet, the tux and other formal
clothes shed the water in a remarkably short time and later we were in the rest room
while Gene, appearing completely dry was combing his hair; someone threw open the
door and said, “Did you see that guy make that dive into the pool from the high board?”
Gene never missed a stroke combing his hair, looked at me with a grin and
said, “Must have been a professional; best dive I ever saw!” Gene’s dorm room was
downright dangerous. The wall light switch might operate the radio or some other gadget
and one never knew what to expect if any electrical switch was flipped. While we were
fishing on Bolivar, he once found a completely worthless piece of rusted junk buried in
the sand and stated it was a radio and he was going to fix it. Unbelievably he did and
incorporated it into the wiring in his room. Gene did well in college and upon his
graduation was rewarded by an offer of employment from none other than General
Electric Corporation. GE did not hire many young men from small colleges, even one as
prestigious as “Harvard on the Neches.” Congratulations Eldridge Eugene Davis, Jr. He
left Lamar, for Houston after a stint at corporate headquarters and started what would
become a long and successful career with GE. I was side tracked by the Marine Corps
and other misadventures but finally graduated and went to Houston in 69 where I teamed
with Gene and our buddy Dennis Hollander. We all lived together for many years at
10010 Memorial Drive. Dennis and I shared a two bed room apartment and Gene had a
one bedroom next to us. Dennis and I agreed it was the safest arrangement for all of us.
You may have seen a TV show about hoarders, people who keep things and never throw
them out. That was the best way to describe Gene’s apartment. In addition to being an
electrical nightmare, there was a maze of huge boxes of magazines, newspapers and
literally tons of other junk that he was going to get around to reading, studying or fixing.
It was wall to wall. Gene worked very hard. He was often gone for days or weeks. I
enjoyed listening to him discuss the projects he worked on. In addition to smaller things,
he installed huge pieces of equipment in paper mills, steel mills, generating plants, ships
and other locations throughout Texas and other parts of the US. He was a competent
professional and enjoyed his work. He was both capable and reliable. I am still impressed
with the things he did because Gene Davis was one heck of an Electrical Engineer. We
all grew older, and eventually moved apart: finally potty trained I did finish law school in
spite of the partying. Gene continued a distinguished professional career and lived life to
the fullest; his friendships never diminishing his bonds never wavering. Gene was also a
serious person with a terrific sense of humor. He was a deep thinker, sometimes really
deep. True story -Gene, what day is Easter? Answer; - Easter Day is the first Sunday
after the full moon that occurs next, after the vernal equinox. The full moon involved is
not the astronomical Full Moon but an ecclesiastical moon that keeps, more or less, in
step with the astronomical Moon. Resulting in that Easter can never occur before March
22 or later than April 25. – “Gene, all I can say is, good luck to the Easter Bunny!”
Over the years, many here have partied, laughed, and worshiped with Gene.
We have also cried with him during such difficult times as the loss of his Mother and
Sister so long ago. His Daddy too. Through the good times and tough times, we studied,
swam, sailed, skied, fished, vacationed and always enjoyed his company, his wit and
easy going attitude; it was infectious. I valued his advice and assumed he valued mine
until he recently said he didn’t think I was a very good lawyer but my counseling was
free. Gene was passionate about his life. If you sailed or skied with him, he understood
all sorts of things about what he was doing while I was just struggling to keep from
capsizing or falling. He just didn’t go skin diving; he became a Senior Master Dive
Instructor. I could go on for many hours about the times and life of Gene and many here
today could add volumes to his legacy. Gene was simply a good person, a gentleman.
It’s difficult to capture the spirit of such a fine man in a brief speech and he deserves
better. He liked most everyone and they in turn liked him! He was a fair minded person,
unpretentious and smart as a whip. His affection for his family was shown by his love for
his Uncle John, and was saddened by the recent loss of John’s wife, his Aunt Dorothy.
He loved his stepmother Virginia; always referred to her daughter Pam as his sister. In
his heart, I know she was. He spoke fondly of Jan’s children and family. Gene was one
of those people you wanted to be friends with for life. You just couldn’t help but like
him. Everyone agrees his marriage to Jan was one of the best things that ever happened
to him. The woman is a saint and he loved her dearly. Who else would go skin diving
with a crazy swan diver and live with a hoarder. She nursed him through his cancer and
made him well. He was happy. I thought he never would find a house that met his
stringent engineering specifications but he did and not too long ago, he built Jan a pond in
the back yard of their beautiful new home. Gene was proud of that pond. Ever true to
his nature he could come see me and then get on line and take me all through the house
and yard with a security system he had installed. Life was good. I thank you Jan for
being such a positive influence on his life and loving him the way you do. We share your
sorrow. Gene quietly practiced his faith throughout his entire life and was doing
so till it ended. Jan and Gene have shown their abiding love for our fellow man and a
dedication to their faith by their actions every day; bolstered by their many trips south to
help improve the lives of poorer folk in other countries and their work in prison
ministries. Jan & Gene Davis lived their faith by example; partners till the end.
Gene’s Dash
I viewed my parent’s graves today; my grandparents lie near by,
A host of others are also there, their stones now stately lie.
Eulogies were lovingly delivered, at the funerals of those gone,
I then thought of each of them, and two dates carved in stone.
The first date noted, is that of birth; the second brings us to tears,
What matters most, I have come to learn, is the dash between those years.
This simple dash, as we all know, represents their time on earth,
And each of us, now lovingly remembers, what this tiny line is worth.
It matters not, how much they had; the cars, the house, the cash,
What matters most, is how they lived, the time within that dash.
I thought about this long and hard, are there things that I should change?
Unable to know the time I have; is my dash near the end of its range?
When our eulogy is given some future day, and our souls shall come to pass.
Will, we be as pleased, with things then said, as were said of Eldridge’s dash?
So I will end this eulogy by saying: Goodbye to a loving son
Goodbye, to a loving brother
Goodbye, to our memorable friend
Goodbye, to a dear husband
Goodbye, dear Gene
We all know that our Lord is getting a really good electrical engineer
But for goodness sakes Gene; promise us, when you go anywhere in Heaven,
please leave the wiring alone!!!
God’s speed - Eldridge Eugene Davis, Jr.
I THANK YOU
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