William “Bill” Finley Davis

William “Bill” Finley Davis, 85, of Morganton, NC, passed away Wednesday, March 15, 2023.

Born in Burke County, NC on March 12, 1938, he was the son of the late Finley Webb Davis and Jeane Clarke Davis.

Bill was a veteran of the Army National Guard and was a member of St. Mary’s/St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. He graduated from Morganton High School in 1956, UNC Chapel Hill in 1960, and was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. Following his graduation, he returned to Morganton and began a 50-year career in insurance and real estate. Mr. Davis was the first inductee into the Burke County Realtors Hall of Fame in 2007.

Bill was deeply engaged in the community. He was a member of the Burke County Young Democrats Club, was Young Man of the Year in the Morganton Jaycees, and served on boards of directors for First Union, the Historic Burke Foundation, and Burke County Hospice. Bill was also a member of the Morganton ABC Board for 53 years, and he was chair of the board for 36 of those years.

Bill is survived by his wife, Judy B. Lane Davis; sons, William Davis, Jr. (Elaine), Jon Davis (Kimberly), and Don Davis (Rebecca); step-sons, Troy Furr and Brandon Lane; grandson, Ryan Davis; step-grandsons, Hunter Riley, Ryan Lane, and Jacob Lane; sisters, Gay Gaston (David) and Lisbeth Fahey (Bill); and a number of nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his first wife, Donnell Mull Davis; and second wife, Virginia Anderson Davis.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 3 p.m., Friday, March 31, 2023 in the fellowship hall of First United Methodist Church. The memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. in the church sanctuary with the Rev. Logan Lovelace and the Rev. Connie Connelly officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery.

The service will be live-streamed beginning at 3 p.m., Friday, on the Facebook page of First United Methodist Church Morganton (https://www.facebook.com/fumcmorganton) or YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@firstumcmorganton9267/streams).

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Amorem Hospice, 902 Kirkwood Street, NW, Lenoir, NC 28645 or to St. Mary’s/St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, PO Box 2083, Morganton, NC 28680-2083.

The family would like to express their appreciation for the staff at Grace Ridge for their compassionate care during Bill’s later years.

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.