We Remember

DAVIS, Donald Edgar

June 11, 1933 — July 22, 2025

With grateful hearts we share with you the news that Donald Edgar Davis, born 1933 in Turner Valley, AB, has set his altimeter for new horizons, on July 22, 2025, at age 92.

Devoted husband for over 55 years to Maureen (née Moore), who he met before the two even began elementary school, he was a spouse perhaps ahead of the times: he encouraged Maureen’s own fulfillment whether as a mother to four daughters, a put-upon officer’s wife, an RN, an enthusiastic artist, or whatever else she pursued.

More traditional were Dad’s fatherly duties: often absent due to his demanding flight schedules and military assignations, he left much of the parenting of his four girls born within an eight-year span, to Mom.

Still, he never set limits or assigned gender roles to his daughters. He only wanted to know where the other x percent was when we showed test results. When questioned why 85% wasn’t enough, he’d respond, “Do you want to fly with someone who only knows 85% of how to land the plane?” Nonetheless, he was quietly but always proud of his daughters, Heather, Cindy, Erin, and Leslie.

Consistently good-natured, Don carried the DNA of hardworking prairie farmer parents who had weathered the toughest times of the earlier century. He also dabbled in rural pursuits himself, seeing a tax break and becoming a gentleman farmer of horses, goats, rabbits, and whatever else he indulged in, as mom rolled her eyes and watched his tail lights trailing in the driveway, off to another assignment and leaving her with the literal muck.

Donald proudly served his country and got the first university degree (U of A) in his family, thanks to the Canadian Armed Forces; after 26 years he retired at the rank of Lt. Col. having served as 436 Squadron leader (Hercules c-130 aircrafts) in Trenton. Prior to that, he flew fighter jets and 707s, then learned to helm the hulking L-1011 passenger aircraft as Chief Pilot at charter airline Worldways.

Upon retirement, Don took up music lessons, learning viola and violin, saxophone and clarinet, and always singing – either around the house or in barbershop quartets and groups in the Trenton and Brighton, Ontario, and later Kelowna, BC areas.

As we said our long goodbyes during his final days in palliative care (age-related heart failure), it was an honour to share the same love of music that he had instilled in his daughters with Cindy playing piano long distance, and Heather, Erin, and Leslie finding a shaky harmony to accompany his rasping breathing.

A caring and devoted son to Jean and Edgar (d.); brother to Andy (d.), Marion and Vern; father to Heather (Bob), Cindy, Erin (Rob), and Leslie (Paul); grandfather to Meaghan Clarke, Katrina (d.), Michael (d.), Evie and Ava Rogers, and Lauren Davis Shirakawa (d.); and great-grandfather to Nolan and Braedyn Clarke, Colin and Jane Shirakawa, and Dominic Madsen. We are comforted in knowing that at last his happy soul is reunited on a celestial dance floor with Mom (d. 2012), having taken “High Flight” for the final time.

How grateful we are to have had Lt. Colonel Davis on our family’s flight deck, steering us always to be good people, to try the hardest and achieve greatness, and to not settle for that 85%. For that, we are one hundred percent grateful.

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