Robert E. Davis

A celebration of life for Maj. Robert E. "Gramps" Davis, 84, of Minden will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Growth Center at Carson Valley Christian Center.

Mr. Davis died Jan. 27, 2004. He was born Jan. 7, 1920, in Alma, Ark.

He worked for Lockheed before joining the U.S. Air Force. During World War II, he trained as a pilot and flew a B-17 on missions over Germany with the 15th Air Force-Foggie Italy, 483rd Bombardier Group. After his plane was shot down in 1945, he was a prisoner of war in Germany for the remainder of the war. He was awarded the Bronze Star, POW medal and Purple Heart.

After the war, he returned to Lockheed where he worked as an experimental flight test mechanic. He loved his family, quads, motorcycles, airplanes, flying and lunch at Quiznos. On his 80th birthday, he and his wife, Melba, celebrated with a parachute jump. He was a member of the Douglas County CAP Composite Squadron. He and his friend Walter Wien shared their war experienced with cadets and toured a B-17. Last summer, he took the controls of his B-17 and flew over Lake Tahoe.

Among his survivors are his wife; son, Robert; and grandson, Cody.

His ashes will be scattered in the Sierra Nevada.

Memorial contributions may be made to Connie Lapier, Douglas County CAP Composite Squadron, 1144 Airport Road, Minden, NV 89423; or to Best Friends Animal Society, 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, Utah, 84741-5001.