Gaylon L. Davis

Gaylon Lyle Davis, 79, Defiance, Ohio, passed away on Saturday October 13, 2018 in his home.  He was born on February 24, 1939 in Bryan Ohio to Leighton Lyle & Beatrice Augusta (Vollmer) Davis.
He was baptized May 14, 1939 at Trinity Lutheran Church Bryan Ohio. 
On September 19, 1959, he married his childhood sweetheart Elaine Carma (Osmun) Davis in Trinity Lutheran Church, Bryan, Ohio, she survives.
Gaylon and Elaine have 3 surviving daughters, Shawn (Mark) Faryniarz, Defiance, Monica (Garry) Carnahan, & Rebecca (Brent) Bischoff, Napoleon
Grandchildren include, Andrew (Eva) Carnahan, Lainee (Clayton) Meyer, Grace Dupont, Jacob Berry, Samuel Dupont, Sydney Berry, and 4 step-grandchildren, as well as, 2 great-grandchildren and 3 step-great-grandchildren and another great-grandchild due in February.
He is also survived by a sister-in-law, Pauline (Wheeler) Davis, Bryan, and 2 Nephews. 
Gaylon was preceded in death by his parents, twin daughters Gay & Gayle, a brother,  Gaylord  Davis, and niece Angela Davis. 
He graduated in 1957 from Ney High School.  He continued his education at Tri-State University in Angola Indiana graduating in 1961 with a degree in Civil Engineering becoming a Licensed Professional Engineer.   
Upon graduation, he started his career as the Assistant County Engineer in Allegan Michigan from 1962-1965
He then took a consulting engineering position with Engineering Associates in Wooster Ohio from 1965-1971.  He also became a Licensed Professional Surveyor and he would often do private surveys for family and friends.
Wanting to live closer to family, he became the Assistant Defiance City Engineer where he worked from 1971-1978 when he then became the Defiance City Engineer.  During that same time he also helped farm the family farm as well as help with his parent’s greenhouse business in Defiance County.
Gaylon was the Defiance City Engineer from 1978-1988 when he resigned to run for the Defiance County Engineer’s position.  On November 8, 1988, he was elected as Defiance County Engineer where he served until his retirement in 2005, continuing on with the county as the Deputy County Engineer until 2009. 
Gaylon Davis served as Defiance County Engineer for 16 years, from January of 1989 to January 2005, the second longest tenure in the history of the Defiance County Surveyor\Engineer Office.  During his service to Defiance County he resurfaced nearly every mile of county road, a goal of his, and replaced 142 of the county’s bridges, something that he took pride in.  He was active in the County Engineer’s Association of Ohio, being recognized as County Engineer of the Year in 1997 and serving as the association’s president in 2004.  Gaylon was also active in the National Association of County Engineers and was recognized by that association as rural county engineer of the year in 2003.  He was also their past president, serving on various committee and boards.  In 1993, he was given a national award for his Defiance County Salt storage building design.  He also served on many committees for the State of Ohio, working diligently to improve our roads and bridges.
He was also a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, Ohio Society of Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio, and the Maumee Valley Chapter OSPE, working actively for years with the Maumee Valley Math Contest.
Gaylon received many awards and proclamations over his 47 year career.
He was a member of Zion’s Lutheran Church, Defiance, where he served on various committees, boards, and church council, and was a long time president of the council.  He was actively involved as a volunteer for the Innkeepers and a mentor for the Warriors for Jesus.
He was a member of the Defiance County Republican Party, past member of the Elks Lodge 147, Rotary, Junior Achievement, past school mentor for the Defiance City Schools, Past President of Defiance High School Band Boosters, and Defiance County Habitat for Humanity, 
Gaylon made lifelong friends where ever he went.  He was well known for his generosity & willingness to help others.  He often asked his family to make charitable donations in his name in lieu of buying him gifts.  
He and Elaine spent many hours with family and friends playing various games of cards, and he enjoyed outbidding Elaine whenever he could.
One of his greatest joys was spending time with his grandchildren and watching them mature into adults.  Always willing to give them love, support, encouragement, advice, and even challenge them when he could.  He felt very blessed, to live long enough to see great-grandchildren come into his life, and he thoroughly enjoyed them as well.  
Services will be held at Zion’s Lutheran Church, 1801 East Second Street,  Defiance, Ohio on Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 11:00 with Rev. Timothy Reynolds officiating.  Burial will be at Farmer Cemetery at 2:00 pm.  Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 from 2-8 pm at Schaffer Funeral Home in Defiance, and for one hour prior to the services at the church on Thursday.
The family requests memorials to be made to the Lutheran Disaster Relief, or Zion’s Lutheran Church, Defiance, Ohio. Online condolences can be given at www.Schafferfh.com
Gaylon’s family would like to ask everyone to go out and spread some kindness today in his memory.

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