George Eugene “Gene” Davis III, age 63 of Gainesville, FL passed away on Saturday, January 26 th , 2019.
Gene was born in Gainesville on November 30 th , 1955. He graduated from Gainesville High School in
1974 and completed his Bachelor of Finance from the University of Florida in 1979.
In 1975, he married his sweetheart Sharon Mikell Davis and together they had two daughters, Shannon
and Kristen. Gene owned Davis Gas Company, which his father George Davis began in 1963. He also
followed in his father’s footsteps and grew Fraser Fir Christmas trees in Cashiers, NC as he gradually
retired from the propane business in Gainesville.
Gene was a man of many talents and interests. As a young man, he became interested in waterskiing.
This interest led to a lifelong love of the sport. He was a jumper who competed in local, regional and
national tournaments. He also fell in love with the technical side of competitive skiing. He was a senior
judge and technical controller for many tournaments including the Masters, Nationals, and World
Championships. In addition, he served as the Executive Vice President of the AWSA Southern Region and
President of the AWSA for several years.
He was an avid Gator fan and enjoyed attending games with his family. Gene loved vintage cars,
primarily Ford’s. He had several Mustangs and Broncos, but he was especially proud of his beloved 1937
Ford F-100. Gene had an infectious nature about him. He never met a stranger and could make anyone
he met laugh.
Gene is preceded in death by his father, George Eugene Davis Jr. He is survived by his wife of 43 ½ years,
Sharon, daughter Shannon Davis Birnbaum (Kevin), daughter Kristen Davis, sister Trish Davis, sister
Cindy Souther (Roby), and many nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind countless friends, many
whom count Gene as a brother.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. For those who wish to contribute, please consider
donating blood to your local blood bank or monetarily to the US Waterski Team (AWSA General – All
Teams). Please note that this donation is in memory of Gene Davis at checkout. Website:
https://shop.usawaterski.org/products/u-s-team-donations-support-your-sport.