Darrel Davis

Darrel Davis, Your Friendly OTASCO Man and longtime Ponca City business owner, passed away early Tuesday morning, June 16th, 2009 at his home. Darrel was born on April 21, 1933, in McCurtain, Oklahoma, and moved to Ponca City at the age of ten. When he was sixteen, he began working at OTASCO as a tire buster. After graduating from Ponca City High School in 1952, he moved up to the sales floor where he quickly made a name for himself with his gregarious personality and great customer service. While at OTASCO, Darrel was a frequent sales contest winner and earned numerous outstanding sales awards. With his wife Ginger working alongside as the store bookkeeper, he worked his way up to store manager, a position he held from 1965 until 1972. He was promoted to regional supervisor in 1972, and retained that title until his retirement from OTASCO in 1988. In 1990, Darrel was honored to be elected to a seat on the Ponca City School Board where he served his community for one term. After retirement, Darrel opened Davis Furniture and Appliances, which he operated until he sold the business to his daughter and son-in-law, Wendy and Rick Hubler in 1997. Darrel loved his family, he loved selling, and he loved playing cards and spending time with his friends. He had a winning way with words and loved to make the ladies smile. In his younger days, he was an avid slow-pitch softball player who also enjoyed fishing and the outdoors. He was a veteran of the military having served in the Oklahoma National Guard and the United States Army. He was a loving grandfather to Cassy, Mandy, Matt, Katey and Chance, and great-grandfather to Cat and Maddy. Darrel Davis leaves behind the legacy of his generous spirit, his camaraderie, and what he considered to be his greatest accomplishment, his family - his wife of 57 years, Ginger, and children Tracy McCloud, Penny Davis, and Wendy and Rick Hubler. Hes preceded in death by his father Ishmel Davis, and his mothers Chlora Davis and Iva Robertson Davis. Services will be held Friday, June 19th at 10:00 a.m. in the First Baptist Church Worship Center of Ponca City. The family would like to extend an invitation to Darrels many friends to come prepared to share a favorite story or memory of Darrel as we celebrate his life. Casket bearers will be Matt McCloud, Patrick Lynch, Jack Frame, D.J. Combs, Jack Shearer, Bobby Shelton and Chance Hubler. Honorary casket bearers will be Kenny Raby, Jebo Brown, David Morlan, Rick Holt, Kenny Miles and Holton Payne. The family will be gathering for visitation Thursday evening, June 18th from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. at Grace Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, contributions could be made in Darrels name to the Ponca City Wildcat Wrestling Takedown Club, 9 Kimball Road, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74604. The memorial fund will go towards the cost of erecting signage honoring former wrestlers.