Bearl Lee Davis, 85, of Mount Holly NC made his journey home to be with his Lord and Savior on February 23 in Gastonia, NC. He was the son of John and Maggie Davis and was preceded in death by his wife Glenda Ewing Davis.
Those left to cherish his memory include his brother Max Davis, girlfriend Bernice Stevenson, daughter, Susan Cathey (Van McKee), son Jeff Davis (Donna), son Jim Davis (Shawn), grandchildren Bobby Cathey (Sarah), Ashleigh Johnson (Ben), Madeline Tabler (Zach), Stephanie Davis, Sara Davis, Jamie Davis, and Wyatte Davis, and great grandsons Miles and Declan Cathey.
Bearl was a faithful member of North Main Street Baptist in Mount Holly. One of his proudest days was when he accepted Christ late in life and was baptized surrounded by his family and friends.
Bearl was known as many things in life, husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, and just friend. Most people remember simply his toughness. Bearl contracted polio as a child, so his life’s physical battles began at an early age. As a boxer, even with his disability, he fought almost 300 fights. His record was estimated to be 270 wins, 18 losses. While his final life’s fight against dementia was different and much more difficult, he faced it with the same resilience as he had his other life’s obstacles. His battle was an inspiration to so many who knew him.
Some of the nicknames given to Bearl by his friends and family were world’s greatest fisherman, world’s greatest boxer, hunter, welder, mechanic, electrician, and handyman just to name a few. There wasn’t much Bearl couldn’t do or teach himself how to do as he was raised in that time when you just did what you had to do to survive.
His greatest legacy was how much he dearly loved his family. They were the center of his life. Bearl never was a rich man monetarily, but he sacrificed to assure his family never went without. His true riches were how loved he was by all those who knew him. In that, he was one of the richest people alive, and he will be dearly missed.
A Graveside Service to celebrate Bearl’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday March 20, 2021 at Hillcrest Gardens Cemetery, Mount Holly. The family will greet guests prior to the service from 12:30 until 1:30 p.m. at Woodlawn Funeral Home, Mount Holly. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimers Foundation of America: 322 Eighth Ave. 16th Floor New York, NY 10001. 866-232-8484. mail: info@alzfdn.org
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