David Davidson:  

Life My mother says I have more lives than a cat. I was and am still very much alive. I am currently living in Pattison, Texas and enjoying life as much now as I ever have. My wife of 27 years and I divorced in 1996. Our adopted son who turns 21 years old in December is now living with his mom. He lived with me after he finished school and returned to mom in January 04. I met and married Becky Schiedenmantel Neef in 1999. Becky is a counselor in Waller High School and has two sons, Brendon (35) and David (25) who both live and work in Houston. Becky has a masters from Texas A&M. We also have two beautiful grandchildren, my step-grandchildren, Cameron (8) and Dylan (2) who spend a lot of time with Nanna and Pap Pa. When I finished school in 65, I began studies at Lamar University in the Fall Semester and withdrew from school to join the Navy with Billy Duckett (Class of 64), and George Nectoux on the buddy-system. George ended up detained and Billy and I left for boot camp in San Diego in October '65. I then went on to Midway Island for a year, then to a Pacific Fleet Destroyer (USS Hull DD-945) and made two tours during Viet Nam, with in- country excursion at Camp Tiensha near DaNang during Tet-offensive. I was then assigned shore-duty in the Phillipines for the remainder of my commitment. I have now had my foot on every continent except Anartica. I was honorably discharged in September '69 when I went bach to Lamar University. I spent about 3 semesters and withdrew to go to work for New York Life Insurance Company. Two years later I resigned my commission and began publishing a newspaper in Hardin County. Two years later, I resigned and went back to Lamar where I completed a Liberal Arts degree with a major in Sociology and Psychology ('78) My wife Ann (hair dresser) and I moved to Denver, Colorado where I did a Master of Divinity program at Iliff School of Theology. I was ordained in the United Methodist Tradition and have served as pastor in Sugar Land, Rosenberg, Copperfield in Houston, Porter and now Pattison. Two days after my new wife Becky and I returned from our honeymoon, I had a massive heart attack and died. The previous two men she had married had also died, both tragically. She told my mom of her fear of marrying me the day of our wedding, because the men she had loved had all died. I was revived and underwent by-pass surgery in '99. I was shot and life-flighted to Herman Hospital in January 1998. Would you believe a young Vietnamese, 19 years old shot me as a part of a gang initiation. I have had many life-changing experiences and look forward to the next. Hence, mom's reference to, "more lives than a cat". All the doctors had to say to me was, "Mr. Davidson, your'e a lucky man." With luck like this, who wants to be lucky. Real luck would be reconnecting with old acquaintances. E-Mail me! School Writing this bio 39 years later is amazing. I remember so much. I also have regrets which well within me. I wasn't the best student, but I always knew who the prettiest girls were. Didn't really know them, but in order to have accomplished that, they would have had to know me. Because of several bad habits and immaturity it was difficult for me to be intimate with others because I had difficulty understanding my own feelings during those years. I was not a student at school, I was an observer and day-dreamer! I did relish endeavors which allowed me to show off my abilities and that's why I spent so much time on the golf course. I sought acceptance most of the time by trying to be accepting of others and masked my true self with humor and or quiet shyness. Working after school was a necessity and I always was acquainted with many persons through these contacts. I missed many opportunities because being a young smoker kept me in a stealth-mode most of the time. I matured and grew later than most, however, God really rung my bell during my service in the Viet Nam theater. My school years did nurture and reveal many truths which are still with me today. When I received my Master of Divinity degree at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado, my professor of Philosophy said, "Well David, you problably think t...Expand for more