Linda Whittington/NeuseNews

Lenoir County lost a leader and true legend Thursday morning.

County Commissioner Reuben Davis passed away after a long battle with injuries he suffered in a multiple-car accident in mid-September. He was 85.

A funeral service is Saturday at 2 p.m. at Lenoir Community College with military honors and visitation to follow. Private burial will be held at a later date.

An avid baseball fan, Davis owned and operated Davis Wholesale Tire in Kinston since 1955. The news stunned company employees, his many friends and fellow Commissioners.

"He was my mentor, so generous [and] he was very respectful," said Roland Best, who sat beside Davis during Board of Commissioners meetings. "There was nothing he would not do for me or anybody else. He was a kind-hearted person and a real gentleman.

"We have lost a great person not only on the board, but in this community."

Fellow Commissioner Linda Rouse Sutton said that Davis always asked questions, did his homework and put countless hours of thoughts into his decisions. He always kept the county's welfare in mind.

Sutton shared that Davis was always a jovial character and entered each meeting with his bright smile on his face. She holds on dearly to several $2 bills that Davis presented to her to either keep or pass along to her grandchildren.

"A dear friend," Sutton said. "He had an opportunity to do a lot of things. I know one time he went to a western state somewhere, rode ATVs on sand dunes. He even drove a race car because NASCAR was a love of his

"He was was still young and very physically fit...picture of health. I'm glad he had all of the experiences that he did because he lived life to the fullest up to the very end. I was blessed to have a friend like him.

"He's gone on to be with the Lord now."

Click here to read his obituary: https://www.neusenews.com/people/2019/11/14/obituary-reuben-joshua-davis