Claude Whitman “Whit” Davidson

Mr. Claude Whitman “Whit” Davidson, 93, died Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at the Mississippi State Veteran’s Home in Oxford, MS. The funeral will be Monday, July 8, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. in the Chapel of Waller Funeral Home with Rev. Robert Allen officiating. Visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 10:00 A.M. Burial will follow the service in Eastover Memorial Cemetery.

Whit was born on January 1, 1931, in Sardis, MS, to the late Garna Ayles and Roy Lunsford Davidson. From a young age, the value of hard work was instilled in him, and much of his life revolved around the belief that one should earn his own way. For 37 years, Whit worked as a supervisor for Mid-Valley Pipeline, managing the crews laying pipelines. During the summer months, the company employed young men, who Whit would take under his wing. He treated them like sons, helping to shape their lives with the mentorship and wisdom he shared. When he retired from Mid-Valley, he couldn’t stand the thought of not working, quickly finding a job at the Walmart Garden Center. It was the perfect outlet for Whit to nurture his love of gardening and share his knowledge with others. At his home garden, he cultivated the best tomatoes and peas around, working tirelessly each year on harvesting, shelling, and canning. He generously shared his fresh and canned vegetables with all of his family and friends. Whit adored his grandchildren, whose addition into the family filled his life with so much joy. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his three brothers, Howard Davidson, Ed Davidson, and Gordon Davidson; and a sister, Jean Davidson Crawford.

Whit is survived by his three daughters, Dianne Davidson, June Goza and her husband, Duke, and Jennifer “Jenny” Davidson, all of Oxford, MS; three grandchildren, Meredith Goza, Shelby Goza, and Taylor Davidson-Phillips; and one great-grandchild, Jasper Reese.

Expressions of sympathy or memorial contributions in Whit’s memory may be made to Lovepacks, Post Office Box 721, Oxford, MS or online at https://www.lovepacksoxford.com/donate, or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, or online at https://www.stjude.org .