Curtis Loran Davis, son of the late David and Mary Etta Ward Davis, was born on Wells Creek, in Elliott County, on Aug. 28, 1910, and passed away Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008. He was the ninth of 10 children. He received his education from the one-room school at Wells Creek, three years at Morehead State Normal and a year at Sandy Hook High School. He then attended Morehead State University for a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and then went to the University of Kentucky to do some graduate work. He taught five years in one- and two-room schools in Elliott and Morgan counties, then six years at Sandy Hook High School. He served a year as director of pupil personnel and 28 years as superintendent of Elliott County Schools. He served as president of the Eastern Kentucky Education Association and was a delegate many times to the Kentucky Education Association. He served a year as director of KEA and was on the textbook adoption committee. He was founder and president of Davis & Shelton, which later became Davis Contracting Co., a company that employed 200 to 300 men from eastern Kentucky (mostly Elliott County). The company built several dams and airports and hundreds of miles of highways in Kentucky and West Virginia. He also served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946. He was commissioned as a lieutenant junior grade and sent to Fort Schuyler N.Y., for officers’ indoctrination. After six weeks, he was pulled out and sent to Harvard University for six months of special training and promoted to full lieutenant. Curt was founder and a lifelong member of Elliott County VFW Post 11428. Some of Curt’s accomplishments in life were: --past partner at Mico Manufacturing in Sandy Hook --built and operated Grayson Lake Marina --author of six books --abolishment of the Sub-District Trustees System --abolishment of a one-teacher high school --consolidation of 51 one- and two-room elementary schools to three centers --began school bus transportation --started first lunch program --started first library program and bookmobile Honorary appointments: --Kentucky colonel by Governor Clements --Kentucky colonel by Governor Weatherby --Kentucky colonel by Governor Breathitt --Admiral, Little Sandy River by Governor Combs --Admiral, Colorado River by Governor Paul Fannin --Honorary West Virginian by Governor Moore --Tennessee Volunteer by Governor Ellington Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Jason Paul Davis and David Curtis Davis; and his nine brothers and sisters, Ray and William Davis, Molly Redwine, Lena Blair, Bascom, Lewis, and Emory Davis, Guthrie Brown and David L. Davis. He is survived by his loving wife, Lavinia Pennington Davis; his two sons, David Roger and wife Wilma J. Davis of Sandy Hook and Orville Curtis and wife Alma Davis of Somerset; four grandchildren, Joel David Davis, Dr. Dianne Davis Brann, Dana Davis and Kelly Hartung; five great-grandchildren, Joel David Davis II, Jordan Lee Davis, A ustin Hartung, Elke Brann and Alaric Brann; his special caregivers, Paul, Pam and Lisa; and several nieces and nephews. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct.19, 2008, at Lewis & Ferguson Funeral Home in Sandy Hook with Rep. Rocky Adkins and Pastor Warren Vanover officiating. Burial will be in Elliott County Memory Gardens, with Elliott County VFW Post 11428 performing graveside rites. Friends may call after 6 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Courtesy of the Daily Independent of Ashland,KY Connie