2007
Nominee: Ray Davis, Retired Agriculture Specialist, University of Missouri
The Missouri Ag Extension Professionals are nominating Ray Davis for the Hall of Fame Award. Ray began his career in Extension in Missouri as a Balanced Farming Agent in 1958. In this position he worked with a group of fifty to sixty farm families that paid a fee for the extension services. Ray worked closely with those families to help them organize their operations to reach their family goals. This provided the basis for Ray’s extension career. He later worked as a County Agent and was promoted to Area Director in 1968. In 1984, Ray became an area agriculture specialist and he retired in 1989. As an agriculture specialist Ray worked on farm management programs, agronomy and livestock production in a four county area. Ray also supported the 4-H program.
Ray started a program called “Pasture of the Month” where farmers could be nominated to be recognized for doing a good job with their pasture management. Ray would publicize the award and in doing this teach others how to manage their pastures. He did a lot of local publicity through a newspaper column called “Rambling with Ray” that appeared in six newspapers. He also did a weekly radio program.
Ray was always concerned with helping people have success in improving their economic well-being. He also dedicated himself to helping people develop their leadership skills. He has expressed that seeing people grow and develop as a result of participation in extension programs was personally rewarding.
Ray attended his first NACAA annual meeting in Kansas City in 1959 when Missouri hosted it. He has attended 35 NACAA meetings, including all of them since 1978. He served in all of the offices of the state association in Missouri. He was also active in Epsilon Sigma Phi. He received the DSA award in 1970 and received an award for the best newspaper column in 1985.
Since retirement, Ray has continued to be very active in his community. He has been active in the Troy Kiwanis club since 1963 and has served in all the offices of this group. In 1976 he received the Kiwanis “Man of the Year” award. He received the Troy Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year Award in 2002.
He is a charter member and treasurer of the board of Cuivre River Electric Cooperative Operation Roundup. Since 1998, they have given three million dollars to individuals and organizations in Lincoln, Warren and St. Charles counties.
Ray delivers meals on wheels weekly to 25 to 30 people in Troy. He is a member of the United Methodist Church and has served in all offices of that church. He has been on the Troy and Lincoln county fire department board for six years and has been an alderman for the city of Troy.
Ray and his wife Sharon attend the National NACAA annual meetings every year. Ray always has a smile on his face and injects his humor with everyone he meets.