CDR Harold L. Davison USCG (Ret)

Commander Harold Leroy Davison, USCG (Ret) passed away Tuesday, November 12th, 2019 in Raleigh, NC, surrounded by his loving family. Dave, as he was known to family and friends, was a wonderful husband, father, brother, grandfather, and great-grandfather who served his country in WWII and for 20 years after in the U.S. Coast Guard. He then had a rewarding 26 year second career as a faculty member of the Mathematics Department at N.C. State University.

Dave was born on March 25th, 1922 in Ft. Scott, Kansas to Leroy and Beatrice (nee Bentley) Davison. He was raised in Leavenworth, Kansas where he attended Leavenworth High School. A keen athlete, he played on the football and basketball teams and was a trombonist in the school band. After graduating in 1940, Dave attended Kansas State University for one year, and then, as war clouds loomed for his generation, decided on a military career. He sought and was granted admittance to The U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut in 1941, where he continued his studies as well as his athletic endeavors, playing on the Academy’s varsity basketball team. After the United States entered WWII in December 1941, the course of study for the cadets at the Academy was condensed, so his class of 1945 actually graduated in June, 1944.

After graduation, Ensign Davison was assigned to USCGC Campbell, a famous Coast Guard cutter which was escorting convoys across the North Atlantic. In 1945, Campbell was transferred to the Pacific theater, and was at Saipan when the war ended in August of that year. Dave remained aboard Campbell until 1947, during which time he met, and on November 8th, 1947 married, the love of his life, Rosemary O’Brien. His other Coast Guard duty stations included the Office of Marine Inspection in New York, Executive Officer of USCGC McCulloch in Boston, OMI in Boston, Commanding Officer of USCGC Ariadne in Key West, and OMI in Mobile. During these years of moving from one duty assignment to another, Dave and Rosemary raised three sons and a daughter and made many good friends.

In 1965, Dave retired from the Coast Guard after 21 years of faithful service. He had always been interested in teaching, so after completing graduate studies at Duke University, he joined the Mathematics faculty at N.C. State University in 1966, where he remained until he retired from teaching in 1992. During this time fellow NCSU math teacher Col. Tom Gordon and his wife Dot were Dave and Rosemary’s closest friends. In 1985, at the invitation of the brothers of the NCSU chapter, Dave became an alumni initiate of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. He and Rosemary lived in Cary, NC for 45 years and were devoted members of St. Michael’s Catholic Church.

Dave was universally regarded as a kind, gentle, and caring person whose family meant more to him than anything. He is survived by his devoted wife of 72 years, Rosemary; sister, Helen Fleming; sons, Scott (Joan), Jeff (Vanessa), and Mark (Lisa); and daughter Mary Upton. Also surviving are grandchildren, Maggie Davison, Johnny, Nick, and Parker Davison; and Matthew and Melissa Upton; as well as, step-grandchildren, Mike Carelas and Christine Holton; great-granddaughter, Emma Canales; three step-great-grandchildren, six step-great-great-grandchildren, three nieces, and four nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the JDRF, ASPCA, or a charity of choice.