Dale Davidson

DALE McCLELLAND DAVIDSON, 78, of Watson, IL formerly of Arcola, IL, passed away at 10:35 P.M. Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at his daughter’s residence.

Funeral services were held at 2:00 P.M. Sunday, January 29, 2012 at the Edwards Funeral Home, 221 East Main in Arcola, IL. Rev. Roger McIntire officiated. Burial with military rites was in the Arcola Cemetery. Visitation was from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at the Edwards Funeral Home.

Dale was born March 1, 1933 in Litchfield, IL. He was a son of Ellis McClelland and Letta May (Traylor) Davidson. He married Shelby Jean Kurfess July 24, 1955 in St. Paul’s Church in Hillsboro, IL. She passed away July 10, 1997.

Survivors include 3 daughters, Dawn Davidson of Tuscola, IL; Kim McGeehon and her husband Doug of Arcola, IL and Lori Neal and her husband Rusty of Watson, IL; 4 grandchildren Joel and Ted McGeehon and Seth and Cole Neal; 2 great grandchildren Shelby and Remington McGeehon; 1 brother William Traylor Davidson and his wife Margarite of Pacos, TX.

Along with his wife, his parents, one son Michael Davidson and one brother Merrill Davidson preceded him in death.

Dale was an Army veteran serving in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was an Intelligence Analyst and received 2 Purple Hearts during the Korean War. He graduated Special Forces in May of 1970. Dale served a total of 36 years in the Army, Reserves and National Guard. Following his military career Dale had worked at USI in Tuscola, IL and was a Bar Tender at the Embassy in Arcola. Dale had done some Sky diving having completed a Santa Clause Jump.

Dale was a member of the Arcola Masonic Lodge #366 AF & AM and the Montgomery Masonic Lodge #426 AF & AM at Ranger, NC. He had a total of 57 years as a Mason. He was also a member of the Sword of Bunker Hill and the United Methodist Church in Murphy, NC

Memorials may be made to the ASPCA(American Society for the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals) and the American Cancer Society.