William "Bill" L. Davies

William “Bill” Davies, 88, of Sayre, PA, formerly of State College, PA and Ramsey, NJ, went home to be with his Lord on August 29, 2022, at Robert Packer Hospital. “We are confident and would prefer to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:8)

He was born on August 17, 1934, in Pittston, PA, the son of the late William L., Sr. and Huldah Adeline Davies, Wyoming, PA. Bill graduated from the former Wyoming Memorial High School, Class of 1952. He began his lifelong membership with the Wyoming Lodge while still in high school. Upon high school graduation, Bill enrolled at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, in industrial arts education. While at Penn State, Bill was actively involved in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, the spelunking club, and the club wrestling team. During his second year at Penn State, his friends and he initiated the Penn State chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma, which he supported his whole life. Bill did his student teaching in Forty-Fort, PA, and graduated from Penn State in December 1956.

Bill began his 39-year teaching career in the Ramsey, NJ public school system in 1957, as well as joining the US Army Reserve, which he completed in 1962. He completed his masters’ degree in education from Montclair State University in 1963. Bill also did some interim teaching for the Waynesville, MO and the State College, PA homeschool groups. During the last nineteen years at Ramsey High School, he started, and coached, the chess club, encouraging many of his team members to reach the state and national levels of competition. He also served as a deacon for the Hawthorne Gospel Church and was a member of the Hawthorne Christian Academy Board, Hawthorne, NJ. “Mr. D” loved his students, and especially enjoyed seeing them excel in their professions of woodworking drafting, and architectural design. With his signature bow tie, and great smile, Mr. D would always have his classroom door, as well as his home door, open to welcome his students. His love of teaching, and his love of people, was evident as he intentionally gave his time to many students, friends, and family through the years.

During the last twenty-six years of his retirement, Bill remained actively involved in the State College, PA community by volunteering at the Penn State Sports Museum, Meals on Wheels, and Gideon’s International, as well as several of the local church communities. He also enjoyed volunteering at Promised Land State Park, Greentown, PA, in the natural history museum, in the blacksmithing shop, and during the Civilian Conservation Corps reunions. Throughout his life, Bill enjoyed Penn State football, woodworking, fishing, sailing, storytelling, and gathering friends and family.

Bill is survived by his bride of almost 64 years, Janet L. (Rapson) Davies, who he met in first grade. He told his friends, “I love her, so stay away because I am going to marry her!” His only child, Faith and son-in-law Rob McClelland, and his favorite grandchildren, Rob, Jr., Grace, Caleb, and Joshua McClelland, and several cousins also survive him.

A Time of Visitation for friends and family will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2022, from 11am-1pm at the Lowery-Urban Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 225 South Main Street, Athens, PA. A Celebration of Life Service will follow at the funeral home at 1pm, with Pastor Scott Ross officiating.

Memorial donations may be made in William’s name to Gideon’s International, PO Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214-0800, www.sendtheword.com  or Endless Mountains Pregnancy Center, PO Box 42, 26 West Main Street, Canton, PA 17724.

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