A graveside service and burial for Mr. Richard Kent Davis, 71, who entered into rest on August 30, 2026, will be conducted at Elam Baptist Church Cemetery in Millen, Georgia at noon on Monday, September 7.

Rick was born February 10, 1955 in Millen, the second child of Lurlene Kent and Clyde Elmo Davis. The family called Augusta, GA and Charleston, SC home at various times. Rick passed away after an 11-year battle with metastatic kidney cancer (chromophobe renal cell carcinoma).

During his youth, he spent summers with his Aunt Ruby Davis and Uncle Charlie Hodges on a small family farm outside Millen learning to operate farm equipment in an area where his family had lived for generations.

He was a graduate of Middleton High School (Chas., SC), where he participated in track, basketball, and baseball. After graduation in 1973, Rick enrolled at Georgia Tech to pursue a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering degree. To pay tuition, he joined GT's 5 yr co-op program and worked for the CIA in Arlington, VA in telecommunications. While at Tech, he joined Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. After graduating in 1978, he joined General Dynamics in Ft. Worth, TX and settled in Bedford, TX.

Rick's career saw him working in a variety of industries including aerospace, security, and telecommunications. He obtained an MBA in Engineering Management in 1990 from the University of Dallas. His employers also included Del Norte Tech., Tellabs, and ADVA Optical Networking.

Rick's varied interests included corvettes, scuba diving, basketball, golf, and cooking. He had a curious mind and read in depth on subjects ranging from the biological and nutritional sciences to investing.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his aunt and uncle, and a sister Carol D. Graf.

Rick is survived by 4 nieces and nephews: Sharon (Tikhon) Pichai (Simpsonville, SC), David (Melody) Graf (Bothell, WA), Michael (Carla) Graf (Columbia, SC), and Lisa (David) Jennings (Watkinsville, GA) and numerous great nieces, great nephews, and cousins.

The family would like to extend special gratitude to his aide Charwonna Hendrix, who has been with him for the past two years, and a special thanks to loyal friend Monty Carpenter, who has walked with Rick throughout his cancer journey driving him to doctors' appointments at MD Anderson in Houston and visiting him during and between hospitalizations. The family thanks his numerous caregivers at UT Southwestern and Baylor Scott Grapevine.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cook Children's Medical Center in Ft. Worth or to St. Judes.