We are going to miss E. J.

My dad and I were very close friends of E. J.’s and we are fortunate to have known him as long as we did. I couldn’t tell you the first time I met him being that I was only probably knee high. I can tell you I’ll never forget him. I can also tell you my dad will never forget him either. The first time my dad met E. J. was down at the Davis Fish Camp. My dad would stay with E. J.’s grandfather, Doc Davis, at the camp. One morning while eating breakfast at the camp, the dogs started barking down by Willow Lake. At that time Elvin Davis, E. J.’s father, and E. J. come by and asked my dad to go with them to see what the dogs were barking at. Naturally the dogs had a “coon” bayed in a holler. Elvin and E. J. pulled one “coon” out and told my dad to hold it. Well, dad didn’t much care for holding a live “coon”, but he did. Well, believe it or not, they pulled that second “coon” out and went to hand that one off to dad. Here is my dad already not wanting to hold one “coon” and surely didn’t want a second. You can imagine, my dad didn’t know what to do. After it was all said and done, three “coons” were pulled out and each person had a “coon.” No dad made a quick decision and didn’t hold the second coon. From that moment on E. J. and my dad started and built a long-lasting friendship.

My dad called me tonight at work and asked if I could write something about E. J. to put in the newspaper. I told my dad that I thought that was the best idea I’d heard all day. There is so much I could think back on to say now and after I got off work. Well, E. J. was all I could think about. So my dad and I would like to say a few of many words about the precious time we spent with E. J. Davis.

First of all, anyone in Appling County that goes to the Altamaha River will see a masterpiece that was built by E. J. and probably one of his many brothers driving one. The most famous plywood boats ever built. E. J. could build the best boat for that Altamaha River. I want to say my dad and I probably went through at least six during our life of good hard, but fun fishing. He could build that boat to a “T” using only the blueprint stuck in his head. He would build it to his specifications and nobody could make him change it. I know because my dad tried to tell him to change it a little here and there. I think dad was just cutting the fool with him and E. J. knew it and E. J. liked cutting the fool, especially with my dad.

There was one boat in particular that E. J. built that seemed to outlast the others. I’m pretty sure it’s still around today. Have you ever heard the song, “She and I” by Alabama? Well, you see, this boat was an icon for E. J. and his loving wife, Doris Davis. She and I means Doris and E. J. They could not have named it any better. If you ever wanted to know how the long-lasting relationship between Doris and E. J. was all you have to do is listen to the song, “She and I.”

How many of you go to the Hunter Opry House? Well, E. J. played a major roll in the construction of this wonderful place to go and as Floyd Hunter says, “Have some good clean fun.” E. J. built the stage Floyd and his band play on, built the sound man box I sit in, the nice counter top at the kitchen window, and the tables you sit at to eat those Herman Sellers sausage dogs. I can remember that time I would come from Savannah to help build this establishment and he would make sure we worked together. He would tell my dad “Hey, make sure Chuck works with me.” We worked well together and enjoyed it at the same time. We had a steady pace and we knew what come next, almost like we thought the same as we continued to work together. There will always be a part of E. J. at that Opry House. The house my family and I lived in across the pond from the Opry House was also renovated by E. J. All I had to do was call him up and ask for his help and expertise. He would give me a time and I made sure I was there to help and learn as much as I could. He made sure he built the interior of that house so everyone of my children had their own room even though we had a limited amount of space. E. J. made it happen. Knowing that E. J. had a part in building something, you knew it was going to be built to perfection. He worked on projects like these on the weekends. He still worked a full time job with his son, Jeffery. He even played a major roll in building the corporation where I work, Gulfstream Aerospace. E. J. was everywhere doing what he could do best for the people he cared about.

Many of you know what happened to my mother back in 1998. Well, again, E. J. was one of the first ones there to comfort my family, especially my dad.

Ms. Doris, I can’t imagine how it must feel to lose your life-long companion. I do know that my dad had it rough and I thought I was about to lose him too. I know it’s probably the worst thing that could happen, but I promise it will get better and you will get through it. Herbert is alive today and can tell you about it. I try to look at it like this when I lost my mother “God must have needed an angel and that’s why he took my mother.” Maybe God needed the perfect carpenter to build the perfect pearly gates. I will never get over losing my mother, but I can live knowing God needed her for something. My dad and I will miss E. J. just like he was part of our family.

My dad and I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this and our hearts go out to everyone that was a friend or relative of Mr. E. J. Davis. We will never forget E. J. Davis and what he has done for our family and our community.

Sincerely,
Herbert and Chuck Hunter