Gerald Davis

It was on a Monday, September 18, 1939 in Pollard, AR, that Edgar and Ruby
Davis welcomed their seventh child into the world, a bouncing baby boy, that
they named Gerald Ray. His older siblings, three brothers and two sisters –
Harold, Lewis, & James and Juanita, & LaWanda – all welcomed their little
brother into an already active household. They would later add one more child
to the nest, a sister named Carlotta. As all the kids grew, their lives started
following different paths. Interestingly enough, all three boys would choose to
go into ministry. Gerald, who would love sports for his entire life, played
football in high school. During his senior year, he had a powerful encounter
with God, and felt the call to ministry on his life. After graduation, he went to
Pentecostal Bible Institute, in Tupelo, MS, to study the word of God and prepare for ministry. While there, he met an adorable south Louisiana girl named Patricia Ann Lawrence. It was pretty much love at first sight, and on September 12, 1959, they were married at her home church, in Bogalusa, LA and began a journey of life and ministry together, that would cover hundreds of thousands of miles around the world, over the next fifty seven years.

Their union produced four children – Geron, Jeffrey, Alyson, & Angie. Both
Davis’ were musical and loved to play & sing. Consequently, their home was
always filled with music, and all the kids learned to sing harmony at an early
age.

The Davis family would follow their patriarch as he pastored churches in
Brookhaven, MS, Lucedale, MS, Ovett, MS, Columbus, MS, Richton, MS – and
then his final move to Savannah, TN in 1973. He pastored New Life Church
(formerly First Pentecostal Church) for forty years, and retired two years ago, in 2013. He was then given the title of Bishop. During his four decades in
Savannah, he served on the Tennessee District Board for the United Pentecostal Church, served as the Home Missions Director for the Tennessee District, and served as a member of the International Home Missions Board, for the United Pentecostal Church. He served as Chairman of the Hardin County Ministerial Association numerous terms, and also as the Director of the Ministerial Association’s Christmas Food Box Drive for several years. He also served as the Chaplain for the Hardin County Fire Department.

His son, Geron, married Becky Cannon, and gave him two grandchildren, Gerica & Neiman.

Jeff married Tammy Malone, and gave him two grandchildren, Adrian & Courtney. Adrian married Christy, and gave him his first great grandson, Macon.

Alyson married Shelton Lovern, and gave him a granddaughter, DeAnndra – who married Kyle McKinnley.

Angie married Jon Erickson, and gave him three granddaughters, Alanna, Megan, & Gabriel. Alanna married Evan Milby.

To his wife, children, grandchildren, great grandchild, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, friends, church members, and community fellow citizens – he was an iconic leader who loved his Master, loved his family, loved his church, loved ministry . . . and loved people. All people. All races, generations, all backgrounds. The impact of his ministry and life will be felt long after he’s gone. One thing that everyone who knew him will agree on is this – to have had the opportunity to have intersected lives with Gerald Ray Davis – was a blessing you will never, ever forget.