Paul David Davis

Memorial services for Paul David Davis, 60, of Nacogdoches will be held Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at Pollok Baptist Church in Pollok, Texas with Grant Martin officiating. The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon prior to the service.

Paul was born April 4, 1960 in Panama City, Florida, and passed away Thursday, December 17, 2020 at his home outside of Nacogdoches.

The son of a pipeline welder, Paul spent much of his childhood traveling the country. As a teenager settled in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, he excelled as an athlete. He starred as a running back at River Oaks Academy, then transferred to Belle Chasse High School beginning his junior year. His interests turned to motocross, where he raced professionally until his late teens. He holds the track record at Waggaman, Louisiana to this day.

When injuries ended his athletic career, he took the opportunity to teach himself guitar, developing a life-long passion for music, songwriting, and poetry. Armed with his love for writing, he attended the University of New Orleans as an English major.

Paul’s professional career began at age 15, following in this father’s and grandfather’s footsteps as a 3 ^rd generation Journeyman Welder. He was a 46 year member of Pipeliner’s Union 798, initially as a Welder Helper, then as a Journeyman Welder in 1982 at the age of 22. He proceeded to weld and serve in every welder related capacity on the pipeline, including Job Steward and Welder Foreman.

In 2008, he was voted into the Executive Board for the 7000-plus member union. He was elected Vice President in 2012, an office he held until his passing. He is considered a legend in the 798 family.

His employment provided the opportunity to travel the country and develop lifelong friendships. From 2003-2016, his wife and love of his life, Donna, accompanied him full time on the road. He considered those years among his finest.

Through it all, his artistic interests never waned. As a young man, Paul wrote poetry in volumes. For him, it was an outlet, an avenue for expression rather than a means for personal gain or accolades. In his early 20s, he wrote a novel which was ultimately lost to a fire at his home.

In his late 30s, his focus turned to songwriting. An exceptional guitarist and pianist, he wrote, produced, and recorded four complete albums of music, mostly distributed to family and friends. He would often perform at campgrounds while on the road for work, and occasionally at venues with his son, Ryan, while home. With his recent retirement, he had even broader plans for his songwriting and music.

Despite an intense passion for music and writing, his love for his family was even larger. He married Donna Lehman on September 9, 2000, and together they formed a large extended family.

Throughout his life, he worked closely with his son, Ryan, and father, John, developing bonds that resembled friendships as much as paternal relationships. He shared common love for writing and the New Orleans Saints with his daughter, Megan, and treated his step-children, Andrew and Amanda, as though they were his own. He spent time with his mother, Pauline, on a regular basis.

His eyes would light up at the sight or even the mention of his grand-kids. A photo exists of each grandchild with him at the living-room piano. He loved and was loved immensely, and shared laughter often.

Those who knew him best describe him as soft-spoken and thoughtful. He was a man of integrity, whose actions were always louder than his words, and the “right” and honorable course was more important than the popular one. When he did speak, it carried tremendous weight, and his thoughts and opinions mattered deeply to those around him. Paul gave freely to all who asked, and always kept his word and promises.

A man of humility, he never spoke of his own talents and accomplishments. Those who knew him in a professional capacity were often unaware of his artistic gifts. Those who knew him in the artistic realm were similarly unaware of his professional achievements.

Above all, Paul Davis was genuine. No bluster. No fluff. He was the pure depth and substance many of us strive for, and all of us admire. He will be greatly missed on Earth, but lives on in spirit, and in our hearts and memories.

Survivors include his wife, Donna Lehman-Davis; parents, John “PeeWee” and Pauline Davis; son, Ryan Paul Davis and his wife Stacey; daughter, Megan Lea Davis and fiancée Paige DePratter; stepdaughter, Amanda Martin and husband Grant; stepson, Andrew English and wife Amanda; son, Daniel Dunn; grandchildren, Evangeline Karl, Abigail Martin, Harper Karl, Adaline Martin, Mary Harper Davis, and Scout Womack; and parents-in-law, RL and Mae Lehman.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Carl Davis; best friend and cousin, Lil’ Roy Zander; and sister-in-law, Brenda Shumaker.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pollok Baptist Church, 1053 Paul Townsend Road, Pollok, Texas 75965.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.