Albert Everett Davis, 97, of Belle Fourche died June 22, 2024 at the Department of Veterans Affairs Fort Meade, SD.
Albert was born April 11, 1927 in Mason, SD to Joseph and Iva (Noyce) Davis. His mother passed away in 1928 and Albert was raised by his mother’s cousin, Lucile Newman whom Joseph married. Albert attended 4 years of high school in Belle Fourche and graduated with the class of 1945.
He enlisted in the United States Air Force while still in high school and entered active duty, July 15, 1945. During his service he was deployed to Guam and while there he was in charge of the EM (Enlisted Men’s) Club and planned all the gatherings which he described as “parties on the beach but there weren’t any girls, just the guys”.
Albert was honorably discharged June 24, 1946. He received the WWII Victory Medal. He reinlisted in 1946 and was discharged in 1947 and then became active in the National Guard until 1950.
Albert had several careers throughout his life starting with Safeway, then Slys Grocery. He worked at a meat packing plant in Washington State prior to relocating to Casper, WY where he worked several odd jobs including driving for UPS and for the Shirley Basin Uranium Mine. He was very proud of his 20 year career for PacifiCorp as a Locomotive Engineer.
Albert married LaVonne Lois Lash out of high school and they had a child Vicky. They divorced and he married Edna Lorraine Randall and they had a son Ricky and Albert then adopted her 4 children, Evelyn, Wayne Douglas, Chan and Randy. They eventually divorced and Albert remarried his first wife LaVonne and was married until her death in 2014. Following her passing Albert moved to Nisland to live with his son and daughter-in-law, Rick and Kay Davis, until Kays passing in 2021 he then moved to Gillette to live with his granddaughter, Channa. In 2023 Albert moved to Belle Fourche and lived independently until October 2023.
He was a member of the VFW and several bowling leagues. Albert loved bowling, gardening, hunting, camping, fishing, riding and driving Side by , coin collecting and crossword puzzles, playing cards especially cribbage. He was a fan of the Denver Broncos and the Golden State Warriors. He and LaVonne loved to travel to Arizona for the winters. Al took many trips to the Big Horns hunting and fishing, of which his family all remembers with great fondness. In the summer of 2017 Albert traveled to Washington State and was able to fulfill his dream of deep sea fishing.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Iva and his adoptive mother, Lucile; his wife, LaVonne; siblings, Florence Stedillie, Ivan Don Davis, Shirley Hise and an infant sister, Linda Davis.
Grateful for sharing his life are his daughters, Vicky Young of Montana and Evelyn Kinney of Wyoming; son, Ricky Davis of Nisland; numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren and nieces, nephews and extended family; brothers, Wesley Davis, Byron Davis, Ron Davis and Dan Davis; sisters, Beverly Penn, Sandra Oster, Marsha Richards and Joan Anderson.
A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, June 29 at 11:00 am at Kline Funeral Chapel in Belle Fourche with inurnment following in Pine Slope Cemetery in Belle Fourche. Military honors provided by the Belle Fourche Veterans Honor Guard and the Air Force Honor Guard. The family extends an invitation for everyone to join them at the Branding Iron Steakhouse and Social Club immediately following the burial.
Honorary pallbearers are his brothers, Wesley Davis, Byron Davis, Ron Davis and Dan Davis; nephews, Calvin Randall and Craig Randall.
The funeral will be livestreamed and can be viewed on Alberts obituary page at klinefuneralchapel.com An online guest book is available at klinefuneralchapel.com
