Filmore Eugene (Gene) Davis, age 89, died December 25, 2021, at his home in Bellefonte, Arkansas. He was born near Dennard, Arkansas, January 9, 1932, the son of Filmore and Altha Davis. He attended Pindall grade school and then Western Grove High where he graduated Salutatorian of his class in 1949. That year his basketball team went to the state tournament finals.

Following graduation, he joined the National Guard and attended the University of Arkansas in 1949- 1950. His Guard unit was called to active duty in August 1950. After training a short time at the old Armory building, which is now Camp Jack, he was sent to Camp Carson, Colorado for more training and then on to Korea, where his Unit 936 Field Artillery Battalion fired over 250,000 rounds of 155 MM howitzer projectiles. Gene was discharged in 1952.

In 1962, he married Helen Callahan Taylor and moved to California where they lived for 25 years. He worked as a teamster truck driver. They moved back to Bellefonte in 1987. Helen passed away in 2010.

He married JoAnn Martin Mhoon on December 31, 2011. He loved camping, gardening, fishing and watching sports. He was a member of St. Paul’s Methodist Church and caretaker of the Bellefonte cemetery for 25 years. He was also a 55-year member of the Masons (St. Joe 173) and a member of Eastern Star (Marshall).

Survivors include his wife JoAnn; sons, Keith (Shelly) Taylor, James (Lisa) Methvin; daughters, Julie (Roger) Ray, Judy (Eddie) Holt and Jeanette (Kevin) Cerisano; daughter-in-law, Bernie Taylor; and sister, Irene (Don) Benjamin; sisters-in-law, Elzene Yancey and Carolyn Callahan; 4 nephews and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Mitchell Taylor; two brothers; and one sister.

A memorial service was held at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Harrison at 11 a.m. Friday, December 31, 2021. The memorial service was live streamed on Facebook Coffman Funeral Home | Facebook. Memorials may be made to the Bellefonte Cemetery, P.O. Box 1111, Harrison, AR, 72602 or St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, PO Box 355, Harrison, AR, 72602.

Arrangements under the direction of Coffman Funeral