DAVIS, BURNIS E.

WHITEVILLE – Burnis Eston Davis, 88, died Tuesday, July 11, 2006, at his residence. He was born in Sterlings Township, in Robeson County near Princess Ann. He was the son of the late Roger C. Davis and Beulah Walters Davis and was preceded in death by a brother, Roger Gerald Davis.

He attended Tabor City High School before joining the U.S. Marine Corps where he served honorably for 20 years. He saw action against the enemy at Tulagi and Guadalcanal with Edson’s Raiders, plus New Georgia and Guam in Korea from Pusan to the Chosin Reservoir. He served with the Marine Detachment aboard five ships; USS St. Louis, USS Chester, USS Savannah, the Gen. H.F. Hodges and USS Toledo.

He also did a tour of security guard duty with American consulates on the island of Cyprus and with the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran. He was one of the oldest living males in the First Baptist Church in Whiteville where he served on the finance committee & offering teller chairman and ushered for many years.

Mr. Davis was owner and operator of the Uptown Office Supply for many years and worked for The News Reporter office supply division.

Final rites will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, July 14, at First Baptist Church with Reverends Daniel M. Deaton, Kerry Peeler and Kendell Cameron Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Columbus Memorial Park. McKenzie Mortuary of Whiteville is handling the arrangements.

Survivors include his wife, Maggie Millican Davis of Whiteville; daughter, Nancy Davis and husband Timothy H. Mihle of Wilmington; granddaughter, Madison Mihle; two sisters, Virginia Davis Anderson of Virginia Beach, Va., Ella Lou Lovett and Geneva (Jon) Hipps both of Tabor City.

Honorary pallbearers are Bunn-Keystone Sunday School Class.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Lower Cape Fear Hospice.

Visitation will be held from 12-12:45 p.m. prior to the service at the church.