Obituary of Russ Davis

Russell Elias Davis was born on February 4, 1929 in Stratton, Colorado to Rosser B. and Katherine (Nowak) Davis. He passed away on Saturday, November 10, 2007 in Montrose, Colorado at the age of 78. Russ had an identical twin brother, Stanley Max Davis who passed away on April 6, 2005. As a boy he lived on the Davis homestead north of Stratton near the Republican River. When he was six years old, they were flooded out and lived in several locations until 1942. This was when his parents moved the family to the new farm east of Burlington, Colorado. He was a graduate of Burlington High School in 1946. After high school, Russ was in the Navy and also attended college in Fort Collins, Colorado. It was in Fort Collins that he met Alene Marcum. They were married in Las Animas, Colorado, on June 3, 1951. They moved back to Burlington where he farmed wheat and raised Polled Hereford Cattle with his dad. In later years when irrigation wells began pumping, he was active in growing corn, sugar beets, and pinto beans as well as wheat and cattle. In 1952, their son Mike was born followed by Ken in 1954 and Jenny in 1957. Mike and Mary Ann live near Burlington. Ken and Terri live near Kiowa, Colorado and they have two daughters, Tessika and Leah and four grandchildren. Their daughter, Jenny Swanson and her husband Tom live in Montrose, Colorado and they have two sons, Jacob and Dylan and two granddaughters. Russ was interested in the Denver Broncos Football team. He was also active in several organizations including the Burlington Rotary Club, Kit Carson County Cattleman’s Association, the Burlington Coop Board, Federal Land Bank Board, Sugar Beet Growers Board Association, Burlington Rotary Award, and was also a Burlington Volunteer Fireman. Russ also liked to play golf with some of his friends. In 1998, he served a term as a Kit Carson County Commissioner. Russ truly loved the Kit Carson County area and the people that live here. He always enjoyed visiting with people and attending local events like the Kit Carson County Fair. Russ was preceded in death by his parents, Rosser and Katherine and his brother Stan Davis. Russ is survived by his wife, Alene of the home, his sons, Mike and his wife Mary Ann of Burlington, Colorado, Ken and his wife Terri of Kiowa, Colorado and their children Tess and Leah. His daughter Jenny Swanson and her husband Tom of Montrose, Colorado and their children Jacob and Dylan. He is also survived by six great grandchildren, a sister-in-law Lucille Davis of Colby, Kansas and Sue (Marcum) Guthals and husband Don of Niwot, Colorado, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors. Funeral services for Russ were held on Friday, November 16, 2007 at 10:00 AM at the United Methodist Church with Reverend Tom Peacock officiating. Burial followed at the Fairview Cemetery, Burlington, Colorado. Memorials may be made in Russ’s name to the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department or to the United Methodist Church and may be left at the Bank of Burlington, Burlington, Colorado.