Daniel Davis was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has dedicated more than half of his life to the ministry of the youth of the church on Local, Union, and the Division Level. After (retirement) he has served the Allegheny East Conference as Trust Officer and Senior Citizen’s Housing Executive Director of the Allegheny East Conference.
As Danny ponders his relationship with his parents, he recalls the faith that they always had with him. They inspired him to be the best he could be and assured him that he could succeed if he tried his best. They instilled a “can do” attitude in their son, and at the age of fifteen Danny began a boxing career. At age sixteen he worked in steel mills at night while attending high school during the day. Although she never attended any of his boxing matches, his mother told him that she felt he could become a great boxer but she believed that he would become a preacher. Indeed that prophecy came true.
After graduation. from High School in 1943, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, and served in the combat areas of the Pacific during World War II. Upon returning home, he continued as a professional boxer but was soon introduced to Christ and the Seventh-day Adventist Church by Elizabeth Hall in 1946. In 1947, Danny & Betty attended a graduation at Oakwood College and decided to attend themselves. They were married September 22 and enrolled as married students on September 24, 1947.
Danny graduated with honors in the class of 1951. He began his ministry as a pastor-evangelist of the Allegheny Conference and pastored 13 churches In the states of West Virginia, New Jersey and Ohio.
He has also worked in evangelistic campaigns In Virginia, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. He was called from pastoral work in 1963 to serve Allegheny Conference as Missionary Volunteer, Health and Temperance and National Service Organization Director.
When Allegheny East Conference was formed, he continued in those departments and also assumed responsibility of Lay Activities Director (Community Services, Prison Ministries, etc.)
Notable Career dates include:
1963-1974, Allegheny Conference/Allegheny East Conference. Missionary Volunteer, Health and Temperance) Community Services and National Service Organization Director.
1974-1980.
Columbia Union, Youth Director, Health & Temperance Director.
1980-1982,
Africa-lndian Ocean Division of the General Conference of SDA, Youth Director. .
1982-1993,
Allegheny East Conference, Youth Director
1994.
(Retired)
1994-2000 Allegheny East Conference Trust Officer, Executive Director of Senior Citizen’s Housing.
Career Highlights:
Innovative programs which have been adopted by higher organizations and have been woven into the fabric of Youth Leadership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church on an International basis. Among these are:
# Outreach programs
# Prison Ministry
# Better living parades
# A.C.T. Teams
# A 100-drummer Drum Corps that represented the State of
Maryland in the Annual 4th of July Parade in Washington, DC; opened the Olympic Gymnastic trials and Grand Opening of the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters.
# First Council on black youth (forerunner of the present Youth
Congresses of BAYDA) .
Recently he has contributed to two books, We are the Pathfinders Strong’ and a General Conference Handbook on Youth Leadership. During the 1970′s, he wrote a column for the Message Magazine. He has served on numerous National Councils, including the White House Council on Children.
Elder Davis has served the church for almost 58 years. He and Mrs. Davis have been married 65 years! They are the parents of two children and the proud grandparents of six lovely granddaughters and two great-grandchildren as well.
Funeral Services will be held at Pine Forge, Pa..Update on the time soon to come…
