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May 9, 1952 – March 17, 2024

Gary Clayton Davis, AKA: Pa, GD, the Man, the Myth, the Legend; left this world to be with the love of his life, his original Darlin’, on March 17, 2024. He was surrounded by his friends and loved ones at the time of his passing at his home on beloved Watauga Lake. 

Those of you that know him, know he lived life on his terms and met death on his own as well. GD loved life, everyone he met, and to have met Gary usually meant you shared an interesting adventure with him. The stories of all the adventures he had, he happily shared over a few beers on the stern of his home, the “Betty Ford.” He will be missed dearly by all those whose lives he touched, by the stories he shared and memories made together that will never fade.

Gary was preceded in death by his wife of 37 years, Georgia Marie Ellis Davis; his beloved Cassie; parents, Jim and Mary Cason Honeycutt; sisters, Joyce Ann Collins, Highland, Calif., and Jeannie Hall, Harker Heights, Texas; and infant brother, Johnny Davis, Woodbury, Tenn.

Left behind to cherish all the wild memories is his daughter, Gwendolyn Davis Shipley, Lebanon, Va.; two granddaughters, Kyleigh Jordan Shipley (Scooter girl), Johnson City, Tenn., and Alexys Keyana Shipley (Buttons), Lebanon, Va.; one great-grandson, Oakley Raiden Barnett; sisters, Freda Cummings, Woodbury, Tenn., Becky (Steve) Miller, Johnson City, Tenn., Teresa France, Harker Heights, Texas, and Holly (Mark) Honeycutt Ledvina, Bluff City, Tenn.; several nieces and nephews, bonus daughters and granddaughters, whom he loved as his own, along with special friends with unbreakable bonds.

There will be a celebration of life held on Saturday, March 30, at the Elizabethton Elks Lodge, Elizabethton, Tenn., beginning at 4:30 p.m. We expect the time spent remembering Gary will be filled with stories of Gary’s life, adventures and all those tales in between. Anyone who knew Gary is welcome to attend. 

The family of Gary would like to say a special thank you to Mike Nutter, Brooke Lipford, his little buddy, “Isaiahs” and Steve Franklin for everything – there are no words that could explain the sincere gratitude we feel for you for always being there for Gary. To Richard Peters, his traveling and adventure companion; Brandy Widener (his “Brandy Sue”), for being his nurse and trusted confidant. Ava Chu, Anika Scher, and Kamarie Perkins, for showing Gary a different side of life, love and family; to his Angels, Bay Boys and to all those who helped make his final months more memorable.

In lieu of flowers, the family would request a donation to the Elizabethton Elks Lodge be made in his honor. Donations can be mailed to Elizabethton Elks Lodge #1847, 1000 N. Sycamore Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643.