Jimmie R. Davis, 71, died June 27, 2008, at Lawrence CountyHospital in Monticello. Funeral services will be held at MonticelloUnited Methodist Church, of which he was a member, on Sunday, June29, at 3 p.m. Burial will be in the Methodist cemetery inMonticello. Wilson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Davis was a retired floor-covering dealer, owning and operatingJimmie Davis Floor Covering from 1966 to 1997. He also served 32years in the Mississippi Army National Guard, retiring in 1995 withthe rank of command sergeant major. Along with hundreds of hisfellow Mississippi National guardsmen, Davis was called to activeduty in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm.

Davis and his wife, Zelda, operated the Lawrence County youthbaseball program from 1969 until the present. Along with being thebaseball home to hundreds of young baseball players, the park alsohosted girls’ youth softball and dozens of softball tournaments. Hewas a longtime fixture around youth baseball games throughout southMississippi. In 1993, the Lawrence County School District honoredhim by naming the Lawrence County High baseball field “Jimmie DavisPark.”

Davis was born in rural Lawrence County on June 25, 1937, toPreston and Lucille Davis. He was the fourth of six children. Hespent most of his formative years in the Oakvale community insoutheastern Lawrence County before moving to Monticello.

On Oct. 16, 1954, he married Zelda Hill, of Monticello, and theywould remain inseparable for almost 54 years, rearing three sons attheir home on St. Stephens Road. In 1966, they opened their floorcovering business, which would remain a Lawrence County institutionfor more than three decades. Their showroom became one ofMonticello’s main gathering places, as numerous visitors would filein daily for chatting sessions and cups of coffee.

Davis was preceded in death by his parents and his sister,Charlene Pierce, of Society Hill.

He is survived by his wife, Zelda Davis; his sons, Tony Davisand wife Becky, and Craig Davis and wife Rachel, all of Monticello,and Miles “Mo” Davis and wife Lori, of Long Beach; his sisters,Fannie Mullins, of Monticello, and Margaret Garrett, of Arm; hisbrothers, Charles Davis, of Benton, and Emmitt Davis, of Brandon;his grandsons, Joseph Summers, Zachary Summers and Payton Davis, ofMonticello, and Crash Davis, of Long Beach; his granddaughters,Casey and Carly Davis, of Monticello; and 29 nieces andnephews.