Joe Floyd "Smokey" Davis

Joe “Smokey” Davis, 85, passed away peacefully at his home in Fulshear, TX, March 25, 2019 in the presence of his loving family. He was born August 25, 1933 in Crosby, TX. He is preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Betty Davis, his parents Joe and Alice Davis, his grandson John Edward Nemeth, and his great grand daughter Smokey Marie Davis. He is survived by his five children, Steve Davis and wife Wendy, Donnie Davis and wife Carole, Ronnie Davis and wife Mary Ann, Kat Davis, and Karen Efron and husband David; 9 grandchildren; Jason Davis and wife April, Jake Davis and wife Rachelle, Lesliann Nemeth, Brettney Bradley and husband Key, Hunter Davis, Alica “AJ” Sexton and husband Chris, Ian Efron and wife Brittany, Caley Davis and husband Casey, and John Cade Davis and wife Amanda; and 19 great-grandchildren; Grace Davis, Grant Davis, Gabby Davis, Taylor Davis, Trace Davis, Emma Davis, Titus Davis, Juliet Davis, Tatum Davis, Brooks Bradley, Blair Bradley, Blythe Bradley, Bellamy Bradley, Brighton Bradley, Wyatt Sexton, Anistyn Sexton, Dominic Efron, Preslee Leppert and Davis Stewart. To all of you who have blessed us with food, flowers, visitations and prayer, we give you the utmost thanks from our family. In His Love, We Bless You! The Entire Davis Family To the Simonton Community Church family for all you have done; food, music, and hard work of preparing for this special service, we thank you and we love you! In honor of Smokey, Memorial donations may be made to: Simonton Christian Academy P.O. Box 490 Simonton, Texas 77476 Ph. 281-346-2303 At 85 years old, Joe “Smokey” Davis earned the title of “Texas Cowboy Legend.” He was born during the Great Depression on August 25, 1933, in Crosby, Texas to Joe and Alice Davis. Smokey started breakaway roping at 9 years old. When he was 11, he won the men’s breakaway roping with a time of 2.2. Because he won money, he was considered a professional which kept him from playing school sports. Smokey showed Registered cattle in the big Livestock shows in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio from 1945 until he graduated High School in 1951. When he graduated from high school, Smokey went to the University of Houston, competing on the rodeo team, serving as president, and competing in five events (calf roping, steer roping, steer wrestling, bareback riding, and bull riding). In 1953, Smokey married Betty and they began their family of five children – Steve, Ronnie, Donnie, Kathy and Karen. For 12 years he worked side-by-side with his father as a pick-up man at the Texas Prison Rodeo. He also took a job as a machinist beginning in 1955 and continued that job until 1972 to supplement his income from weekend rodeos along with his feed and cattle operations. Beginning in 1963 he worked as a pickup man for stock contractors including Sloan Williams and Frank Harris. In 1972, he and partner, Luke Van Dries, bought out Sloan Williams and started Round-Up Rodeo Productions. He was a member of IPRA, SRA and TRA. He was named producer of the year numerous times in both SRA and TRA. Rafter D Rodeo Company (which means bringing the entire family under one roof) was formed in 1978 producing over 50 rodeos a year throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Rafter D staged rodeos for dignitaries including Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and the Emperor of China. There are many awards and honors he and the bucking stock earned which cover a wall in his Fulshear, Texas home. He shared these honors with his wife Betty, whom he lost in 2016 after 62 years of marriage. There have been many articles written about him and the family including most recently the 2018 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Magazine as well as the 2019 IPRA Rodeo News which both referenced him as a “Cowboy Legend.” In 1985, Smokey began his movie career by providing livestock and locations for the movie Dalton: Code of Vengeance. This began a long list of movies that he provided livestock for from 1985-2018, including Lonesome Dove and most recently, The Son filmed in Dripping Springs, TX. He has also appeared in a commercial for BC powder filmed during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Also, his life-long friend Dr. Jim “Red” Duke came to the ranch on several occasions to film, on horseback, his University of Texas Medical Health Science Center medical reports which aired on local television. Additionally, he appeared on Morton Downey, Jr. as an advocate for the Sport of Rodeo. Smokey served on the IPRA board as the stock contractor for the Southern Region for 22 years. He resigned that position in 2001. Smokey was also a lifetime committee member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. In 2007, Smokey and Betty were named Fort Bend County Fair Honorees for their many years of service producing the rodeo and serving in the community. In 2011, Smokey was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, whose primary mission is to preserve rodeo history and honor rodeo achievement. In 2018, Smokey was inducted into the South-Central Texas Rodeo Ring of Honor. Smokey passed away peacefully at his home in Fulshear, TX on March 25, 2019 Smokey received many awards and honors during his lifetime, but he always said, “The best part of my life has been family and friends. The people are what have made this whole ride worth doing.” Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 29, 2019 in the Chapel of Davis-Greenlawn Funeral Home in Rosenberg. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 30, 2019 at the Simonton Community Church in Simonton.

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Joe Floyd "Smokey" Davis

August 25, 1933 - March 25, 2019