John H. Davidson, 82, passed away peacefully May 18, 2017 at Grant Memorial Hospital from injuries sustained in an accident at his home. John died the way he lived, working hard.
He was born on May 13, 1935, in Troy, OH to Donald H. and Juanita R. (Rickey) Davidson.
John grew up in Troy, OH and graduated from Troy High School in 1953. He attended General Motors Institute for one year and then returned to Troy to marry his high school sweetheart, Mary A. (Breuer) on August 7, 1954.
John worked for Firestone Tire and B. F. Goodrich Companies for many years in various capacities before moving to Marion, Ohio in 1974 where he owned and operated Family Tire Center, Inc. John cared about and enjoyed getting to know all of his customers and took great pride in providing excellent repair services and tire sales for over 40 years. He was an honest, hardworking businessman. His utmost concern was the safety of and providing value for his customers. He was proud to be serving the third generation of families who trusted him to keep them safe on the road. He was also the trusted repairman for many local businesses in Marion.
John started each morning at 5 a.m. exercising, ate a healthy breakfast, and then headed out the door by 7 am to open his business. His last job at home each morning was to bring in the daily newspaper. Dad would read the front page and then the obituary page, after which he would say “Well, I’m not in the obituaries so I guess I have to go to work”. Now Dad doesn’t have to go to work. His discipline, health, and ability to adhere to a rigorous and physically demanding schedule at work and at home, would put most men half his age to shame. He never waited to be asked, but found ways to be helpful at home and at events he attended.
John was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed traveling and through incentive trips earned by making sales quotas and through their personal vacations, he and Mary traveled to Italy, Ireland, Mexico, the Bahamas, Aruba, as well as cruises to many tropical islands. He enjoyed working in his vegetable garden where he grew unusual tomato varieties that were turned into outstanding homemade pasta sauce, playing bridge with his wife, and golfing and fishing. He always talked about the hole in one he missed out on when his daughter replaced his ball with a chalk ball. The trail of dust led right to the hole! John was a skilled woodworker, making beautiful furniture with precise accuracy.
John was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by wife Mary, three children Susan Koziol (Marion, OH), Thomas (Karin) Davidson (Prospect, OH), and Nancy (Mark) Carey (Upper Sandusky, OH), six grandchildren, Yvonne Lisle (Columbus, OH), Ryan Koziol (Dublin, OH), Candace (Derek) Morey (Galion, OH), Justin Davidson (Wisconsin), Kara Ashley (Dublin, OH), and Amanda Gray (Marion, OH), and one great granddaughter Shannon Morey (Galion, OH) as well as his sister Rosalie Browitt (Arizona), Aunt Pearl Mumma (Troy, OH), Uncle Marvin Avey (Troy, OH) and numerous cousins and friends throughout Ohio.
Visiting hours will be held at Boyd Born Funeral Home located at 122 W. Columbia St., Marion, OH on Tuesday May 21, 2017 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Marion, OH on Wednesday May 24, 2017 at 10 a.m. followed by a graveside service at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Marion, OH.
Memorial donations can be made in John’s name to an organization of the donor’s choice.
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