Walter Griffith Davies, Jr., 91, of Signal Mountain, passed away on Tuesday, January 15, 2019.
Walter was born in Chattanooga on December 13, 1927, to the late Walter Griffith Davies, Sr. and Anne Ruth Johnson Davies. He attended Normal Park Elementary School, Northside Junior High School, and graduated from The McCallie School in 1946.
He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946, serving in Japan during the occupation following World War II. Walter returned home from Japan in 1948, and in March of that year, he enrolled in the University of Tennessee in Knoxville where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha. He was awarded a Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1953 and was a Licensed Professional Engineer in Tennessee and Georgia.
Walter began his career with Chrysler in Detroit, Mi., where he met Katharine Byrnes of Waterbury, Ct., and they were married in 1954. Walter and Kathie returned to Chattanooga in 1956 where he was plant engineer at Western Union. He later worked at Cumberland Case until 1971, when he and his father began Davies Engineering Company. He remained at Davies Engineering until his retirement in 2009.
He was a member of the Chattanooga Engineer’s Club, serving as president in 1993; and, he held membership in the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers, where he also served as president. He was involved in scouting for much of his life, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout and serving as a board member of the Cherokee Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Walter was a deacon at The First Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga for many years and he currently was a member of Wayside Presbyterian Church on Signal Mountain.
In addition to Kathie, Walter is survived by 12 children, Griff (Karen) Davies, Mark (Tina) Davies, Anne Davies, Barbara (Jerome Dausman), Claire (Charles Blaylock), Katie (Allan) Abrash, Martha (Mike) Leiper, Laura (Billy) Haynes, Joe (Maria) Davies, Helen (Jim) Schwab, Sarah (John) Lanese and Jim (Ruth) Davies. He has 26 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is also survived by his brother, Robert Davies and a sister, Mary Ruth Venable.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, Jan. 18, at Wayside Presbyterian Church. The family will receive visitors at Lane Funeral Home on Thursday, Jan. 17, from 5-7 p.m. Visitation will also be at noon on Friday at Wayside Presbyterian Church prior to the service at 1 p.m.
The family would like to give special thanks to Alexian Village of Signal Mountain and to the loving care provided by the staff of Alexian Brothers Live at Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wayside Presbyterian Church, 2502 Fairmount Pike, Signal Mountain, Tn. 37377. Arrangements have been entrusted to Lane Funeral Home, 601 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, Tn. 37415.