William Garner Davidson

The Rev. William Garner Davidson, 89, of 103 Shallowford Way, died early Saturday, July 5, 2008 at Lila Doyle Nursing Care Facility after an extended illness. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 6 PM until 8 PM at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home. A funeral and home-going celebration will be held 10:30 AM Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at Trinity Wesleyan Church in Central, SC. The body then will be taken to Gibbs Chapel Wesleyan Church in Glen Alpine, NC where Rev. Davidson was a pastor for many years. The body will lie in state from 3:30 PM until 4:00 PM at Gibbs Chapel, followed by a graveside service at the church cemetery.Born in May 13, 1919, he was the son of the late Sophia Grace Turner Davidson and James Hastings Davidson, the ninth of 10 children. He served in World War II as a Private First Class in the US Army stationed in England and France. He later graduated with three degrees from Central Wesleyan College, where he proudly served twice as student body president and ran the college bookstore. Rev. Davidson began his 39 years of service as an ordained minister in the Wesleyan Church in 1952 at Radford, VA. Rev. Davidson then served at Old Zion Wesleyan in Tabor City, NC; Brevard (NC) Wesleyan; Gibbs Chapel in Glen Alpine, NC; Hayworth Memorial in High Point, NC; and Concord (NC) Wesleyan Church. He retired in 1991 as a reserved general evangelist and also as pastor emeritus at Gibbs Chapel. He always Put others before himself, loved to garden and even more to sing. Quoting Scripture until the end, W.G. always set an example of being a gentleman, a Christian husband, and loved to share his faith by "spreading the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ".Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Phroney Mae Warren Davidson of the home; five sons, Stephen Timothy Davidson of Siler City, NC, Paul Mark Davidson, Philip Bart Davidson, both of Seneca, SC, John Daniel Davidson of Concord, NC, and James Thomas Davidson of Charlotte, NC; two sisters, Elizabeth Whitener of Anderson, SC, and Doris Davidson of Rock Hill, SC; and seven grandchildren.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials may be made to Trinity Wesleyan Church Missions Fund; 700 Isaqueena Trail; Central, SC 29630.Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family with local arrangements.