MANSFIELD: Harold Hunter Davis, age 89, died peacefully Saturday afternoon, June 28, 2025, while in the care of Bridge Hospice at Provision Living of Findlay.
Born January 24, 1936, in Shelby to Harold and Evelyn (Hunter) Davis, Harold was raised with a sense of duty and order – traits he carried throughout his life. He graduated from Shelby High School, earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Marietta College, and a Juris Doctorate from The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law. In addition, he achieved certification as a Chartered Financial Analyst Level III.
He served his country in the U.S. Army and spent his professional life in trust banking where he retired as a Vice President and Trust Officer of Richland Bank (now Park National Bank). In many ways, Harold served as a fiduciary for the community – approaching his work for the good of each of his clients. His steady presence and thoughtful counsel helped shape the future of many local families and institutions.
Harold was a member of the American Bar Association, the Ohio Bar Association, and the Richland County Bar Association. He was active in the Mansfield Rotary Club, served on the board of the John and Pearl Conard Foundation, and was involved in many other civic organizations.
He was a longtime member of Mansfield First Presbyterian Church, where he served on Session, the finance committee, and as a trustee. Faith, like many things in his life, was something he practiced with quiet commitment.
Well-traveled and curious by nature, Harold visited 49 of the 50 U.S. states—he missed only Hawaii—and fondly recalled many family vacations to Stoney Lake in Canada, where he would pack the family into his Mercury Grand Marquis and head north for a week of simple pleasures – fishing, waterskiing, and boating to church! A faithful supporter of Ohio State football, Harold held season tickets in “The Shoe” for over 40 years and Saturdays were reserved for the Buckeyes, a tradition as enduring as any in his life.
An avid tennis player, Harold played regularly for over 40 years in a league at Marshall Park and he enjoyed playing with friends at the Lexington Racquet Club. He appreciated the pace of a good rally and the quiet rewards of returning to the same courts, year after year.
Harold is survived by his wife, Lois (Oliver) Freehafer Davis; his children: Kathryn (Geoff) Foster, Mike (Resa Crow-Davis) Davis, Nancy Walker, and Suzy (Brian) Golbus; his stepson Scott (Donna) Freehafer; 13 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; and his sister, Beverly Simpkins.
The Davis family will receive friends Thursday, July 3, 2025 from 10 am to 12 noon in the Lexington Avenue Snyder Funeral Home, where his funeral service will immediately follow at 12 noon. The Rev. Joseph Yerger will officiate. Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery in Shelby, where the Richland County Veterans Burial Detail will present graveside military honors.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Harold’s memory may be made to the Mansfield Rotary Club’s Scholarship Fund.
The family would like to thank Bridge Hospice and the staff of Provision Living for their compassionate care.
Snyder Funeral Homes is honored to serve the Davis family. Please share a special memory or a message of support with them and view Harold’s tribute video—online at https://www.snyderfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/Harold-H-Davis?obId=43138954#/obituaryInfo
Funeral Home: Snyder Funeral Home Lexington Avenue Chapel
Website: SnyderFuneralHomes.com