Cyrus Davis

Cyrus Davis, 94, passed away on Friday, April 13, at his home in Blodgett. He was born Nov. 23, 1917 to Sarah Wilma Bostwick Davis and Ray Ethan Davis at their home in Blodgett. He attended Blodgett grade school and Philomath High School where he played varsity baseball, football and basketball. His coach told him he was good enough to play baseball at OAC, now OSU, but too easy going for college football. He was a member of Glee Club, and still remembered some of his solo parts. He worked on the family dairy farm while growing up. He was very involved in 4-H and won many ribbons with his Jersey heifers. He lost 1/2 of one finger in the cream separator, but he never let that slow him down (and it fascinated his grandchildren). He was eldest of nine children and did a lot of cooking for the younger ones (he was fairly famous for his biscuits), while his mother kept track of the cows, the butterfat content and the breeding stock on their Grade A dairy. On Jan. 1, 1939, he married Ruby Schneider, the woman he loved and cherished for the rest of his life. The young couple made their home in Blodgett, where they raised six children. In the early 40's, Cy moved his growing family to his childhood home on Harris Rd which he purchased from his parents. He later built the "new house" where he and Ruby lived the rest of their lives. Cy taught all of his children to hunt and fish and took his family on many camping trips from the coast to Paulina Lake to Jonas Mountain. The tradition lives on to this day. Cy worked in the logging industry, beginning at age 19, at Thompson's mill. He worked at every logging job from truck driver to timber faller, beginning with a cross cut saw. He had many colorful stories of his logging experiences. He had fond memories of playing on the Blodgett and Nashville baseball and basketball teams as a young man, and always chuckled remembering his donkey basketball games. Cy was active in the community, helping to build the Blodgett Community Church, its parsonage, and the Blodgett School gymnasium. He led singing in Sunday School and sang in the church choir and sang many duets with his sister, Wilma. He took great pride in his vegetable garden, the bounty which he shared with family, friends, and the Blodgett community. Quarts of string beans from Cy's garden lined the shelves in many homes in the community. Cy was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. His smile and his sense of humor were with him until the end. Cy was one of a kind, a true gentleman. Cy's quote: "We have weathered some storms on the Sea of Life, but many and many a day the sea was smooth and the sky blue." Cy was preceded in death by Ruby, his wife of 72 years; brother Ben, sister Wilma; son Cyrus Davis Jr.; daughters Sharon Davis, Vickie Davis and Joanne Vangeest; grandsons Matthew Vangeest and Gregory Ellis. He is survived by daughters Sandra Davis and Lindy Brown (Don); sons Richard Davis (Peggy), John Davis (Cindy) and Bill Davis; 13 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren, brothers Don, Ernie, Bob and Philip, and sisters Annetta Fleming and Donna Scarth. Memorial donations in Cy’s name may be directed to Blodgett Community Church in care of McHenry Funeral Home 206 NW 5th St., Corvallis, OR 97330. A visitation will take place from 2 to 4 pm Wednesday, April 18th at the funeral home. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm Thursday April 19th followed by burial at Blodgett Community Cemetery.

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Cyrus Davis

November 23, 1917 - April 13, 2012