Alvin G. Davis
| Alvin Glen Davis (Active in the ranching, rodeo, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Born | November 12, 1927 Garden Chapel Community near Post, Garza County, Texas | ||
| Died | June 22, 2022 (aged 94) Lubbock, Texas | ||
| Occupation | Rancher, Businessman; Philanthropist Alma mater: | ||
| Spouse | Barbara Ann Hext Davis (married 1955-2022, his death) Children: | ||
| Religion | Church of Christ | ||
| Military Service | |||
| Service/branch | United States Army | ||
| Years of service | 1945-1946 | ||
| Rank | Sergeant | ||
Alvin Glen Davis (November 12, 1927 – June 22, 2022) was a businessman and philanthropist active in the rodeo, ranching heritage, and historical preservationist community in Lubbock, Texas.
Background
Davis was born at home in the Graham Chapel Community southwest of Post in Garza County to Glenn M. Davis (1899-1965) and the former Viva Martha Cowdrey (1900-1989), They are interred at Terrace Cemetery in Post, Texas. Davis graduated from Post High School in May 1944 and attended Texas A&M University in College Station for one semester. He left college to serve a year in the United States Army and attained the rank of sergeant. In 1947, he enrolled at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture. On July 28, 1955, he wed the former Barbara Ann Hext of Apache Creek, New Mexico. The couple has three children, Bob Davis, Debbie Davis Garland, and Todd Davis,[1] all of whom are affiliated with the Cowboy Culture Association, Inc., in Lubbock.
Ranching heritage
In 1948, he was named the "Top 4-H Boy" in the United States and won the National 4-H Leadership Award. That same year he founded the Southwestern Championship Junior Rodeo at Post, Texas. In 1950, he was elected President of the Texas Tech Rodeo Association. In 1952, Alvin founded the American Junior Rodeo Association and served as its secretary-manager for six years. In 1955, he became the first secretary-manager of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. In 1984, he was named "Outstanding Citizen" of Terry County while living in Brownfield, Texas. That same year, he was the first inductee of the Texas Tech Rodeo Hall of Fame. In 1990, he was presented with the Texas Tech Ex-Students Association Distinguished Service Award.[1]
Davis worked at Brownfield State Bank from 1952 through 1964 and the First National Bank in Clovis, New Mexico from 1964-1965. He was co-owner and manager of the Cowboy Stores in Brownfield, Post, and Levelland in Gaines County. In 1981, he joined the Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech, of which he was the executive vice president and general manager until his retirement in 1993. In 2003, Davis was inducted into the Buddy Holly Walk of Fame. The following year he was named an Honorary Texas Tech Masker Rider. In 2009, he was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2009.
From 1994 through 2015, he devoted his time to the National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration held each September in Lubbock.[1]
Legacy
Davis died at the age of ninety-four. He and his wife endowed the Alvin G. & Barbara A. Davis Rodeo Endowed Scholarship zt Texas Tech. His friend Cynthia Buchanan cited Davis' "humanity, his brains, his good cheer, his humor, his cowboy poetry, his Christian kindness and sensitivity to the pain of others. ..."[2]
