~ IN MEMORY ~
RC/NWA/DL Capt. Gary Dale Davidson
July 3, 1958 - August 24, 2023
Notice of passing….retired Republic/Northwest/Delta
Air Lines pilot Captain Gary Dale Davidson, age 65. Gary began his career with Republic Airlines 11-11-1985
and retired with Delta Air Lines in 2019.
Gary is survived by his wife Kathy, and by his children and their
families.
Obituary information can be viewed online at
https://www.bernafuneralhomes.com/obituaries/Gary-Davidson-7/#!/TributeWall
also at
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/gary-davidson-obituary?id=52938284
For those who may wish to send a personal
note, the family’s address is listed in whitepages as
10589 Ervin McGarrah Rd – PO Box 825
Lowell, AR 72745
Thank you,
~ Carol for the PCN
Obituary : Gary Dale Davidson
Gary Dale Davidson, 65, of Lowell, AR went
to his heavenly home on Thursday August
24th,2023, surrounded by his family at his
home after a seven year battle with cancer.
Gary was born in Gravette, AR to Marion
Charles and Peggy June Russell Davidson on
July 3rd,1958; the 3rd of 4 siblings. Gary
gave his life to Jesus Christ when he was 11
years old at First Baptish Church West
Memphis. Gary graduated from Marion High
School in West Memphis in 1976 and then
attended The University of Arkansas and
Henderson State University. He met Kathy Ann
Johnson at Sunbelt Airlines in Camden,
AR, and they were married on November 22,
1982. In 1986, they settled in Northwest
Arkansas and where they raised their four
children Shawn, Hannah, Maxwell, and
Gabrielle.
Gary earned a bachelor’s degree in aviation
in 1980 and started his career as a pilot for
Sunbelt Airlines. In 1985, he moved to
Republic Airlines, who soon merged with Northwest
Airlines where he flew for 23 years as a
co-pilot and captain of the DC-9, DC-10, 727,
A320, and the 757. Northwest and Delta
merged in 2008, and he finished his aviation
career with Delta as a captain on the A330
in 2019. He loved to fly the long-haul flights to
Alaska, Athens, Guam, Hawaii, Rome and
Shenzhen.
Gary loved the Lord more than anything. He
was actively involved at Immanuel Baptist
Church in Rogers for 30+ years as a Sunday
school teacher of varying ages, a member of
the Men of Valor men’s group, and part of
the Saturday night prayer group. Starting in
2020, he taught a Bible class on Zoom to a
group of Vietnamese students. When flying
trips to Africa for Delta, he would bring
suitcases of supplies with him to missionaries that
were working in local orphanages.
After his faith, Gary loved his family, an
array of outdoor activities, and the Razorbacks. He
and Kathy loved to travel before having kids
and passed on that love to their children with
annual trips all over the world. Gary and
Kathy recently celebrated their 40th wedding
anniversary with a tour of Israel. He was
active in his children’s lives coaching little league,
soccer, basketball, teaching them to
waterski, fish, and hunt. He enjoyed fishing on
layovers in Alaska and Iceland and in recent
years was the best Pawpaw to a growing list
of grandchildren.
He will be missed by his wife Kathy Davidson
of Lowell, AR, son Shawn Davidson and his
wife Elizabeth of Plano, TX, daughter Hannah
Mock and her husband Kyle of Plano, TX,
son Maxwell Davidson and his wife Courtney
of Rogers, AR, and daughter Gabrielle
Davidson of Lowell, AR, grandchildren Jake
Davidson, Russell Mock, and Campbell
Davidson, sister and brother-in-law Karen
Spurrier and Dane Spurrier of Charlestown, WV,
and many much-loved nieces, nephews, and
cousins. He was preceded in death by his
parents Marion and Peggy Davidson, his
sisters Donna Davidson and Janet Davidson,
and grandchild baby Alex.
A visitation will be held on Tuesday, August
29, 2023, from 5:00pm – 7:00pm at the
Nelson-Berna Funeral home in Rogers and a
celebration of life is scheduled for
Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at 2:00pm in the
Hunt Memorial Chapel.
The family kindly asks that you wear bright
colors for the celebration of life. Gary has no
more pain and is in a better place in the
presence of his Lord and Savior.