Philip T. Howerton ’54 was born on May 15, 1933, and passed away on April 1, 2012. Howerton was a resident of Morganton, N.C., at the time of his passing. Howerton received his undergraduate degree from Davison in 1954 and graduated from Duke University School of Medicine in 1958. He was a captain in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps from 1956 until 1963, where he served his internship at Brooke Army Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Hilda Howerton, 1560 Sam Mull Dr., Morganton, NC 28655-7861.
Hal Avon Davis, Jr. ’54
Hal Avon Davis, Jr. ’54, 79, of Asheboro, N.C., died March 17, 2012, at Grace Hospital, Morganton, N.C. Davis was born Oct. 18, 1932. He was the son of the late Hal Avon Davis and Martha Jones Bass Davis. Davis attended Davidson and graduated from UNC School of Dentistry. He served his country in the U.S. Air Force at Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile, Ala., from 1957-59. He opened his dental practice in Asheboro in 1959. Upon his retirement in 1994, he taught in the dental hygiene program at Guilford Technical Community College until 2007. He also enjoyed his fill-in work at other dental offices. He was a member of the N.C. Dental Society and the Randolph County Dental Society, where he enjoyed the fellowship of his dental colleagues. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, where he served as a deacon, elder, and Sunday school teacher. He was an Eagle Scout and supported his sons’ Eagle achievement. “Dr. D” respected and loved his patients and staff. He enjoyed sharing his garden harvest with others. His love of giving and generosity was appreciated by his family and community. He loved the annual family beach trips, grandchildren’s activities, his animals, fishing, bowling, and UNC basketball. Davis is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marion Davis, 620 Maple Ave., Asheboro, NC 27203. He is also survived by his daughters, Deborah H. Davis ’77 and her children, William H. Singley, Julia B. Singley ’15, and Thomas J. Singley; Karen E. Coltrane (Warren) and children, Kathleen E. Hall and Evelyn R. Cabon; sons, Hal A. Davis III (Louise) and children, Rose E. Davis and Emma G. Davis; Thomas E. Davis ’89 (Jayne) and their dogs, Dare and Tally; sisters, Martha Ann Springer and Mary Beth Masline (Richard ’64); sisters-in-law, Carole McKinley and Neal Maness; and son-in-law, Dewayne Singley.
Robert “Tim” Gilley ’54
Robert “Tim” Gilley ’54, of Altamonte Springs, Fla., died Aug. 25. His life partner and wife of 52 years, Doris Anita Boyer Gilley, joined him in heaven within a week; the two were never apart for long. Gilley is survived by their sons, Rob Gilley (Lonnise), 25209 Wymont Park Rd., Worton, MD 21678, and Tim Gilley, 300 Overbrook Rd., Richmond, VA 23222; nieces, nephews, and many exte
William O. Dobbins ’54
Beloved husband, father, and grandfather, William O. Dobbins III M.D., died Sunday, May 8, 2011, at the age of 78, in Charleston, SC. He was born in Phoenix, AZ, on October 15, 1932, and was raised in Montgomery, AL. Dr. Dobbins was graduated from Davidson College and received his medical degree from The University of Alabama Medical School in Birmingham, AL. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, Phi Beta Pi Medical Fraternity, Alpha Omega Alpha, honorary medical society, and Omicron Delta Kappa, honorary leadership fraternity.
He served his internship in the Second Cornell Medical Division of Bellevue Hospital in New York City. He served active duty as a captain in the army as a battalion surgeon in the 48th Infantry Division in Gelnhausen, Germany. He completed his residency in internal medicine and his fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Washington. His career in academic medicine included full professorships at Duke University, George Washington University, and the University of Michigan where he retired as professor emeritus.
He also served as a consultant to Georgetown University Medical Center. Dr. Dobbins is world renown for his research in Whipple’s Disease. He is the author of many medical publications, including three medical textbooks. Dr. Dobbins was a passionate naturalist, an avid bird watcher, and president of the Washtenaw, MI Audubon Society. He had a voracious love for reading, but his true devotion was to his family. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Ellen Scott-Smith Dobbins; his daughters, Laura Dobbins-Beeks, husband, Keith Beeks, of Charleston, SC, and Sharon Dobbins Egan, husband, Robert Egan, of Roswell, GA; his grandchildren, Ashley, Alyssa and Garrett Egan and Kimbell Dobbins; and his three brothers, Porter, Thomas and John Dobbins.
John “Johnnie” Gerald Smith ’54
John “Johnnie” Gerald Smith ’54, of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., died April 18 as a result of an accident. A native of Harnett County, he was the son of the late Edgar Solomon and Estelle Byrd Smith. Smith was preceded in death by two brothers, Theodore and William Harold Smith ’52. He graduated from Davidson with a bachelor of science degree in business. He married Ola Kelly Avent of Fuquay-Varina on Aug. 27, 1955. He served as a lieutenant at Fort Benning, Ga. He was also athletic director of the Seventh Infantry. While in service at Fort Benning, he trained six cycles of basic trainees and attained the ranking of first lieutenant. He always loved baseball and was a baseball pitcher in high school, college, and pro for the Baltimore Orioles. He played one summer with the Fayetteville Highlanders in the Class B Carolina League. He was a merchandise manager for Varina Wholesale and the Wickes Corporation. After working for several years with the company located in Fuquay-Varina, he moved to Greenville, S.C., and later to Saginaw, Mich. After 20 years with Wickes, he returned to Fuquay-Varina, where he went into business for himself as a manufacturers’ representative and formed the company John G. Smith and Associates. He represented 15 separate companies in the Southeast U.S. and sold his company in 1998. After 22 years, he retired and enjoyed fishing, hunting, and playing golf. He was a former member of the Flat Branch Presbyterian Church and served as chairman of the finance committee for building the new church. He later became a member of Christian Light Christian Church, where he had served as a Sunday school teacher for the men’s class, choir member, and deacon since 1978. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Ola Kelly Avent Smith, 125 River Rd., Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526; son, Randy Gerald Smith (Susan Moore Smith); daughter, Kelly Smith Bain (Alton “Al” Deems Bain); sister, Ann Funderburk (Jim); sister-in-law, Monteen B. Smith; five grandchildren, Jessica Vickers, Morgan Smith, Andrew Smith, Drew Bain, and Daniel Bain.