Dean D. Davis

Dean D. Davis, 83, of Mason City, IA, died Thursday, May 26, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa. Memorial services will be at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, June 1, 2016, at the First Covenant Church, Hwy 122 at South Ohio, with Rev. Steve Johnson officiating. Military Honors will be conducted by the Mason City Veterans Association. There will be a gathering of family and friends from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM on Tuesday, May 31, 2016, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue. Inurnment will take place in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be directed to the Dean Davis memorial fund in care of the family.

Dean was born October 14, 1932, in Clear Lake, IA, the son of Leonard F. and Alta (Shaffer) Davis Bunting. He was raised in Clear Lake and attended Clear Lake schools; however, he received his GED at the age of 35. Dean served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict, serving 16 months in Korea and was discharged from the Army in January, 1954. He met and married Carlene Moore on August 4, 1955, in Mason City.

During his teen years he worked at the Clear Lake Bakery, enlisting in the Army at the age of 17. After his discharge, he worked for his step-father Arvin Bunting at Witke’s Boat Livery until his employment with the Cerro Gordo County Engineering Department. In 1959, he began employment with Allied Mills and in 1963, he began his service with the Iowa Department of Transportation Maintenance Department, retiring as Supervisor, after 29 years.

Dean enjoyed hunting and fishing, spending many happy summers at Leach Lake, Minnesota and Canada. He also loved trout fishing with his brothers in Decorah, IA. He was a life time member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 733 and served in various capacities while able.

Dean is survived by his wife of 60 years: A. Carlene Davis of Mason City; daughter: Michelle (Robb) Christensen of Milan, IL; son: Jeffrey Davis of Mason City; granddaughters: Laurel and Paige Christensen of Moline, IL; grandsons: Dain (Charlotte) Christensen of Omaha, NE and Dylan (Abigail) Davis of Mount Pleasant, PA; great-grandson: Hainley Davis of Mount Pleasant; sister and brother-in-law: Kathy and Jim Prindle of Mason City; sisters: Ruth Ann (Brian) Young of Rochester, MN and Joan (Ralph) Davey of Manly, IA; brother-in-law: Bill Ashpole of Ponca City, OK; sisters-in-law: Marlene Moore of Rockford, IA and Diane Davis of Ventura, IA. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents: Leonard Davis and Alta Bunting; step-father: Arvin Bunting; brothers: Denny and Duane Davis; son: Steven Dean Davis; father-in-law and mother-in-law: William “Mac” and Myrtle Moore; sister-in-law: Maxine Ashpole; nephew: William Ashpole Jr. and brother-in-law: Miles Moore.