Donavon Wayne Davenport

Donavon Wayne "Don" Davenport of Las Cruces, New Mexico, passed away at home at the age of 76 on Tuesday, October 29, 2013. He was born August 28, 1937, in Sterling City, Texas, to Herbert Davenport and Vera Edith Cherry Davenport, raised in Ballinger, Texas, and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the age of 14. He enlisted and served in the Army, and was medically retired after serving in the Korean Conflict. Don met and married the love of his life, Joy LaTourette, in Las Cruces, where they raised three children. He retired after 34 years at White Sands Missile Range, NM, with jobs of increasing responsibility to become Optics Range Controller, where he was known as "the voice of the range" for missile launch countdowns, and later served as Video teleconference Center Manager. Don was a Past Master and 33rd Degree Mason, a Boy Scout Master and member of the Order of the Arrow. He was an active volunteer in Boy Scouts, PTA, Unicycle Club, Masons, Scottish Rite, attended and served as a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church, and was involved in a variety of volunteer work with handicapped children and NARFE. Don dedicated countless hours distributing medical equipment and supplies to needy people for the Masons. He was always ready to help wherever needed; if he couldn