Colon McRae Davis

Mr. Colon McRae “Rae” Davis Jr., a long-time resident of Pascagoula, Miss., died peacefully in his sleep on Feb. 1, 2013, following a long illness. Rae graduated from Edison High School in Miami, Fla., in 1950. He then enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served his nation in the waning years of the Korean War. Rae left the Coast Guard in 1954 in San Francisco, where he purchased an Indian Chief motorcycle and traveled cross country to return to his home in Miami. A keen boatsman, who learned the love of building boats and being on the water from his father, Rae was enlisted as a crew member aboard the 96-foot Rhonda III by Robert I. Ingalls Jr. in 1954. In 1958 Mr. Ingalls promoted Rae to captain of the 42-foot Rhonda II. Rae routinely travelled with the Ingalls family aboard both vessels on trips to South Florida, the Bahamas and various ports of call along the Atlantic Coast. It was on his first trip aboard Rhonda III from Miami to Pascagoula that Rae fell in love with the Mississippi Gulf Coast. When he saw Horn and Petit Bois islands, he knew he wanted to live in Pascagoula. As captain of the Rhonda II, Rae was regularly called upon to take industry, military and government leaders fishing. Among the notable men of the 20th Century who Rae met during these outings: Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, considered the father of the modern nuclear navy; U.S. Air Force Gen. Carl A. Spaatz, Commander, Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific during World War II who supervised the final bombing of Japan and the two atomic bomb missions that led to Japan’s unconditional surrender; and U.S. Air Force Col. William Howard “Hank” Stovall, a native of Mississippi and one of the first recorded fighter aces of World War I. Spaatz and Stovall were so enthralled with Rae’s knowledge of the sea and surrounding waters that the men expressed their gratitude in a letter on June 20, 1963, that included two “E” bonds for his oldest son, Ronnie. “We are at a loss to express our appreciation to you for the wonderful fishing trip which you gave us. It was just the kind of thing two old men needed, and it was a great pleasure to fish in such congenial company. We feel that you are a real scholar and gentleman,” Spaatz and Stovall wrote. Another frequent fishing partner aboard Rhonda II was Mississippi Congressman William Colmer. During one trip with Colmer, Rae mentioned it would be tragic if Horn Island or Petit Bois were developed. Colmer would later add the islands to legislation that created the Gulf Islands National Seashore. (Though Rae has been modest about his involvement with this, and has stated that he did not believe his comment to Colmer convinced the congressman to add the islands to the legislation; his family firmly believes that without his comments to Colmer, Horn Island and Petit Bois would look very different today.) But the most important and influential person Rae ever travelled with on Rhonda II was his wife, Donnel Marie “Doodle” Davis. They met during one of his first trips to Pascagoula. In a manner befitting a man of the sea, Rae ferried his bride-to-be to Miami, Fla., aboard Rhonda II, where they were married, and then spent their honeymoon visiting the many yacht clubs along Florida’s Gulf Coast as they returned to Mississippi. Rae transitioned from working on the Ingalls’ family yachts to working at Ingalls Shipbuilding in 1961, when the shipyard was purchased by Litton Industries. During his time with the shipyard, Rae advanced through the maintenance department where he held the positions of maintenance dispatcher, construction crew project foreman, multi-craft supervisor, maintenance specialist, maintenance foreman, mechanical maintenance superintendent and East Bank maintenance superintendent. He retired from Ingalls in 1994, a Master Shipbuilder, as West Bank maintenance superintendent. Though all Ingalls employees are referred to as “Shipbuilders,” Rae was fond of the term “Boatbuilder.” In 1966, two years after the birth of his youngest son, Rae went to work at his home building a 27-foot wooden, dory style boat for his family. This boat served as the family’s weekend home during hundreds of trips to Horn and Petit Bois Islands. In his later years, Rae proved he could still work with wood when he built a smaller version of the boat in his backyard. During his retirement, Rae purchased the 26-foot sailboat, Misbehavin’, which he, his wife, Doodle and sister-in-law Bobby Stringfellow regularly sailed to ports between Biloxi, Miss., and Pirates Cove in Josephine, Ala. Rae spent his entire life enjoying the islands with his family and friends; trolling for mackerel behind the islands, casting for mullet in the shallow waters of Horn Island, and shore fishing for speckle trout. He also enjoyed taking his family on fishing excursions far offshore for snapper. In his later years he was particularly proud to be able to take his grandchildren fishing at Horn Island and Petit Bois. Rae was preceded in death by his parents, Colon McRae Davis Sr. and Catherine Stanlan Davis; and his sister-in-law Bobby Stringfellow. He is survived by his wife Doodle Davis; his sons Ronald Keith Davis and wife Paula Capdepon Davis, and Michael Lance Davis; grandchildren Briana Caitlyn Davis & David Homan, Gabriel Brennan Davis and Kathleen Mikaela Davis; great granddaughter Hanalei Homan; his cousin Benedict O’Brien and family of Manhattan Beach, Calif.; and nieces, nephews and in-laws of the Stringfellow and Creamer families, of Birmingham, Ala. Rae’s family would like to express their thanks and gratitude to the family of Dr. John McClosky, Juan Torres, Pastor Arthur Yunker of Christ Lutheran Church, and to Rhonda D., Susan, Cynthia and Vickie with Hospice of Light. You were there for us when we needed you and we will always be thankful. Visitation will be held at Holder Wells Funeral Home of Moss Point, Miss., on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 1 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105.

Tributes

Colon McRae Davis

June 20, 1932 - February 1, 2013