Steve Davis was one of the “older guys” in Forney High School when I attended in the mid-to-late 1960s; I knew who he was but not too much about him. He was one of the “Sunnyvale Crew,” who were fortunate enough to be part of Sunnyvale’s agreement with FISD to “educate their elementary/jr. high students after their graduations from grades 1-8.” I came to know him much better when we both served on the Kaufman County Historical Commission a few years ago and shared rides back-andforth to-and-from Forney to Kaufman. We both “gave up” our appointments after a term of service, but kept up our friendship as Steve sent material for Messenger articles about “Vintage Automobiles” and about the area of land around the Clements Ranch and bottom land near the Trinity River and Lake Ray Hubbard (at one time supposedly to be called “Forney Lake” or “Lake Forney.”) Steve is a “well-read and learned” man, an interesting conversationalist, a donor to the Spellman Museum, and an “expert” concerning many vehicles and “women” in general. He probably won’t admit it, though, but his wife is probably smarter than he is; she married him did she not? I have visited him at his house several times during the past years and think he is very worthy of having an article “penned about him,” as Shakespeare would say!
STEPHEN DAVIS was born July 1, 1949, in Terrell, Texas, to Roy J. and Helen Marie (Eudy) Davis, who had both been born and raised in the Forney area and “only left this great area due to their marriage and to the fact that Mr. Davis was being drafted into the U. S. Army to serve during World War II.”
After the conclusion of the War, the couple bought some property and built a house in Tripp, Texas, a community area in an eastern part of Dallas County that eventually was to become the town of Sunnyvale, Texas.
Steve’s brother, David, was born in 1951, and I (Themer) called him a classmate and friend as we later attended FHS and took many of the same classes. Before that happened, though, the two Davis Brothers attended Sunnyvale School through the 8th Grade and were then bussed to Forney for their high school educations.
The Davises are related to well-known residents (now deceased) of the Forney community, such as Hayden Eudy, Frank Wiser, R. D. Davis, and others.
Steve’s Dad came from a large family that mostly farmed. By the time his male siblings and he were grown, the boys had become carpenters (R. D. built my parents’ house on Maple Street in Forney in 1949-1950 and repaired my house—Earl Sigler’s place on Pacific Street—in 1974- 1975.) and remained so for the rest of their lives. His Dad also became a preacher and was Pastor of some of the small Baptist Churches in the nearer areas of East Texas for a few years, while also farming on a small scale.
Steve’s Dad’s sister, Lois, married Alvis Nash, who became the 1st Mayor of Heath, when it was designated a TOWN in the early 1960s.
His Mother also grew up on a farm, and her Dad, Solomon Eudy, was a County Commissioner for Kaufman County during the 1920s. During her adolescent and “young adult” years, Lois wrote poems that were published in the Forney newspaper and also some times in the Dallas papers! Steve’s Mom was a life-long “homemaker” and also a talented seamstress—plus, she made time to be an avid “gardener.”
Her brother, Rupert, was a pilot in WWII and was a “decorated hero,” who appeared on the cover of Life Magazine in the 1940s.
Lois’s Sister, Eva, married Jimmy Tuggle, who trained British pilots in Terrell, Texas, during the same time period.
Steve’s “time” in Sunnyvale School was eventful and fruitful, as he performed well enough to “skip” second grade and to become recognized as the VALEDICTORIAN of the 8th Grade Class, but he says he does not remember being known as a “standout” by any means in Sunnyvale or at Forney High School! He remembers being really interested in science during his school years but not particularly much in the other courses or areas, but he does make note that he “became a CHRISTIAN at the age of 17 years!”
Oh, yes, Steve also admits to becoming greatly interested in antique vehicles during his high school years—especially in the MODEL “A” Fords, which were the most plentiful and affordable ones for sale. His 1st Car was a 1931—2-door—Model “A” (Ford Tudor) sedan. He opines that he did not get it going enough to drive it to high school, but he surely wanted to do so and to show the other students and the interested teachers. (I was a student then and would have stayed after school or come early to see it—and ride in it!) Steve was in town the other day, and at the post office heads were “turning” to see his “restored” 1930s pick-up truck, which was a feature of “Vintage Vehicles” in this paper a few (maybe a many) months ago!
He did drive the “1931” when he began jr. college at the, in Steve’s words, “long defunct Christian College of the Southwest in Mesquite” after graduating from dear ol’ Forney High. After studying at CCS for two years, he journeyed on down the road to North Texas State University in Denton (now UNT) and by that time had widened his auto interests to include the “hot rod” aspects of old cars and spent what would prove to be “too much time enjoying the hobby, such that he did not quite keep his grades up to the University’s passing level.” Also during those days, he was working at the DeSoto Paint Plant in Garland! And, all this was occurring during the Viet Nam War era of the late 1960s.
Steve continues with the story by admitting that “I was excused from NTSU for low grades and soon received a very unwanted letter from my local MILITARY DRAFT BOARD. I hastily and solemnly assured them that my failure at school was just a temporary lapse in attention on my part and would be rectified during the coming semester! For some reasons, they did not take my assurances seriously, and in September of 1969 I was inducted into the U. S. Army. It is amazing how hindsight is such an ‘eye-opener.’”
Steve’s story continues. “Over-all, I had led a pretty much sheltered life to that point; we did not even own a television set while I was growing up, and I had only been out of Texas once! To say that I was very apprehensive would certainly be an understatement. I was sent to Fort Bliss in El Paso for basic training. Fortunately, because it was in the fall season, it was not too terribly hot or cold during the duration of my time there.”
“After going through general testing as did all the men, I had scored ‘high’ enough to be offered the option of choosing specialized advanced training on the condition that I enlist for an additional year. I elected to do so, even though I thought that I would still end up being sent over to Viet Nam, as were most of the other men who tested!”
“After basic training, I was sent to Fort Monmouth in New Jersey. If I had experienced CULTURE SHOCK in El Paso, it was at least doubly so in New Jersey! I spent approximately six months there, training to be a Strategic Microwave Equipment Repairman for the Army Communication System.”
And this is where we will leave Steve for one week, getting ready to move— some day.
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