Earl Pope Davis Sr.

Earl Pope Davis Sr., 86, a retired USAF Chief Master Sergeant and a retired Raytheon Senior Logistics Manager, formerly of Grifton, North Carolina, passed away on Friday, November 1, 2024, at Pruitt Health - Crystal Coast.

A funeral service to honor Earl’s life will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, November 6, at Munden Funeral Home, officiated by Rev. Patrick Whaley. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the funeral service. For those unable to attend, the funeral service can be viewed through his obituary page on Munden Funeral Home’s website. The service will remain on the Funeral Home website for 90 days.

Interment, with military honors, will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, November 7, at Coastal Carolina Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville. 

Earl was a life-long member of the United Methodist Church and an active member of the Grifton United Methodist Church.

He was born July 9, 1938, in Lumberton, NC. While on active Air Force duty, he earned an Associate’s Degree and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Management. He attended the Air Force's top enlisted professional military education academies and schools. During the 1950s, he participated in the Pacific Nuclear Testing Program and later served in both the European and Pacific Theaters. As a member of various Air Force Inspection Teams, he traveled extensively throughout the world. He had been the Senior Enlisted Advisor to an Air Force General Officer on all matters relating to the concerns, morale, attitudes and general well-being of the Army, Navy, and Air Force enlisted force and their families. He had a world-wide reputation of being a people person. 

At his military retirement location, he spearheaded an extensive logistics project which resulted in his organization winning the coveted Air Force Daedalian Award, the highest logistics award in the Air Force. Subsequently he became the Raytheon Manager for the Base Operating Service Program, Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri and later, a senior Logistics Manager, for the Raytheon/NASA Logistics Depot, Annapolis Junction, Maryland. Prior to retirement from Raytheon, he was a senior logistics manager for nine years for the Kwajalein Island missile range. After retirement, he became a technical consultant for Raytheon and L-3 Communications.

His 30 plus years of military service combined with 20 years of Defense Contractor Service plus 2 years as a consultant culminated a period of over 52 years of government service. While on active duty he was a physical training instructor and throughout his life he enjoyed SCUBA diving, parachuting, golfing, long distance jogging, weightlifting, martial arts, riding motorcycles, boxing, racquetball, water skiing, and most sports associated with physical fitness. He loved to travel and in his retirement years, he and his wife visited many countries.

His many medals and awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, five Meritorious Service Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, and nine Outstanding Unit Awards.

He was a devoted husband and parent and is survived by his loving wife, Volene; son, Joey M. Davis (USAF Chief Master Sergeant, Retired) and wife Linda of Pace, FL; daughter, Janice D. Pait (retired educator) of Morehead City, NC; son, Earl P. Davis Jr. (USAFR Lieutenant Colonel, Retired) and wife Charlene (USAF Senior Master Sergeant, Retired) of Portsmouth, VA; daughter, Julie L. Webb (RN) and husband Jason of Morehead City, NC; grandchildren, Joey M. Davis Jr. (USMC, Retired), Troy M. Davis (USAF, Veteran), Charles Brandon Pait, Aaron M. Schmidt, Adam Schmidt, Ayla Volene Webb, and Asa Webb; 7 great grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Grace Davis.

In addition to his parents, Earl was preceded in death by his brother, Rev. Donnie G. Davis his wife Barbara; sister, Virginia Coleman and husband W.J.; sister, Dixie Floyd and husband Sprunt; brothers, John Carl Davis and Bobby Davis; and son-in-law, Charles Pait.

Earl will be greatly missed by his loving wife, beloved family, and many close friends in Grifton, Hawaii, Austin, and San Angelo, Texas; and his Marshallese and American friends on Kwajalein, Island. His wife, Volene, was the love of his life and he enjoyed a special friendship with his church members, doctors, nurses and their staff. He was a man for all seasons.

As an expression of sympathy, flowers are welcome.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.