Page 6 Supplement to THE TORRINGTON TELEGRAM, GUERNSEY GAZETTE, RECORD-TIMES, & LINGLE-GUIDE July 25-26, 2017

Small Town Life

Gordon Davis Park...the man behind the legacy
Vicki Hood the time, he said, I think we have one of the really no charge. But Barb wasnt about to let
vhood@guernseygazette.com nicest cemeteries in the state. a good opportunity pass. From then on, I just
GUERNSEY--When 7-year old Rylan Based inistially on a friendship between left him a quarter on the meter every month!
Hanchey and his grandparents made a stop in Marjorie and Harriet, the Davis and Frederick It was a laugh they would share many times
Guernseys Gordon Davis Park last month, he families were very close. Marje and Harriet over for years to come.
likely had no idea he was in a pretty special sang together at many weddings and funerals Davis was very involved in his community
destination. and their friendship endured long after their in a variety of ways. He was a charter member
The great-grandson of Gordon Davis, the families were raised. of the Guernsey Lions Club, and served as a
man for whom the park is named, Rylan spent Chuck Frederick recalled being at the Davis Trustee and Elder of the Presbyterian Church.
most of his time just checking out the play- home in town often. That was like a second He helped organize the Volunteer Rescue
groud equipment and the surroundings while home to us. Gordon and Marje were great Unit. He was active in the Boy Scout program,
his grandparents visited with old friends. people and we had a lot of fun at their place. serving as a district chairmain for a time. He
But this visit was a very special one for Gordon Davis was also remembered as a was a 13-year member of the Guernsey Schoo
Rylans grandma because for many years, bit of a character who enjoyed a good laugh. Board. He served as a Worthy Patron of the
Guernsey was home to her and her brothers. Barb Costopoulos recalled that the first time Alvada Chapter Order of the Eastern Star in
Marjean Davis Zeiser is the youngest child Davis came to read their electric meter, she Guernsey and was a member of the Mt. Moriah
of Gordon and Marjorie Davis and it was very was a bit unfamiliar with the process. Appar- Masonic Lodge No. 15 in Canon City before
clear just moments into the conversation just ently sensing Barbs lack of familiarity, he they came to Wyoming.
how much Guernsey and the park in particular told her it would cost her 25 cents to have her His faithful community service and willing-
mean to Marjeans family. meter read for the city. When Barb offered to
We love this community, said Marjean. pay him the quarter, Davis laughingly set her
It was a wonderful place to grown up and it straight, telling her that of course, there was (See DAVIS, page 7)
was a very special place to our parents too.
And as she struggled to control her emotions,
she added, Dad was so touched when they
named the park in his honor. It meant a lot to
Remembering the man...
him and mom both.
Gordon Davis came to Guernsey from
Canon City, Colorado along with his family in
July of 1941. He graduated from Canon City
High School in 1933 and Barnes Business
School in Denver. He and his wife Marjorie
were married in 1936 and had three children,
Gordon G. (Jerry), Tom and Marjean.
Seeking better employment, he initially
went to work at the Sunrise Mine under the
supervision of his brother Mike, who was ghe
cheif electrician at the time.
He spent 10 years working at the mine before
joining the Guernsey Town maintenance crew.
In an interview with the Gazette in 1980, he
said he had no previous electrical experience
prior to working at the mine. We all worked
together as a crew and I learned what I knew
from them.
After going to work for the town, Davis
became the person responsible for maintaining
the the water, electrical and sewer systems.
Davis retired with 30 years of service to the
Town of Guernsey and over that span, he saw
many changes in the community.
He noted that he had seen the towns popula-
tion double and the new school buildings were
built. When we came to Guernsey, there ws
just one house south of the school, and the full
length of Iowa street was vacant lots all the
way to Kansas Street.
He was working when the west acres were
annexed to the Town and said the addition of Vicki Hood/Wyoming Newspapers Inc.
the one million gallon water storage tank was
one of the best things the Town had done dur- Family and friends gathered to remember Gordon Davis in mid-June when his daugh-
ing his tenure. ter Marjean made the trip from her home in Alaska to Guernsey.
Davis served under four different mayors-- Left to right: Chuck Frederick, Mable Frederick, Marjean Davis Zeiser, Rylan Hanchey,
Pete McNull, Lawrence Larson, Bob Johnson Denny Zeiser, Doug Frederick, Barb Frederick, Bruce Heimbuck and Gail Heimbuck.
and Lea Goolsby. He noted that he was proud The family has continued to follow news in their hometown and the improvements
of the communitys cemetery, saying there to the park. They have also continued to financially support some of the projects,
had been a considerable amount of work done including the most recent addition of the dance floor.
on it during the term of Lawrence Larson. At