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On the morning of October 1, 2024, while comfortably surrounded by his family at home, Eugene Davenport walked through the gates of Heaven.
Eugene was born to Loid and Rosie Davenport on April 12, 1940. He went to Midway School, North of Paden, through middle school, and was a 1958 graduate of Paden High School. He married Leona Seaton, lovingly known as Susie, on September 19, 1958. Just two weeks before his death, they were surrounded by close family as they celebrated 65 years of marriage. Out of 65 years of marriage, they raised 3 sons, Wendell, Wayne and Jeff.
After marrying Susie, they moved to Oklahoma City where he was employed by AT&T, formerly known as Western Electric. Not long after working there, Eugene came up with the idea to add a vacuum to the welder to save the pieces that he was cutting, making it possible to reuse the pieces and earning him a hefty award of $875. Eugene retired from AT&T at the age of 49. In 1965, the couple moved back to Paden, OK, returning to their roots.
Eugene got interested in archery after visiting with a friend from work. He bought his first bow, a used longbow, from a friend and started hunting everything he could with it. In 1969 he broke a bow string, it was hunting season, and nowhere local to get it fixed. After driving to Oklahoma City for the repair, he and Susie started tossing around the ideas about their own shop. They opened the first "Davenport's Archery" in their dining room later in 1969, carrying bow strings and other archery related equipment. Susie carried on the day-to-day business of the archery shop while Eugene drove back and forth to Oklahoma City for work. There were times that he was known to load up his car with bows and accessories to sell to his co-workers. As soon as he got home in the evening, he would go to work in the archery shop. They eventually expanded to their garage then later to Prague, OK in the old U-Save building. While the sons all helped over the years, in 1996 their youngest son Jeff bought the shop from Eugene and Susie and still runs it today.
Eugene was a member of the Paden First Baptist Church and had a great love of the Lord, as well as a great love of his wife and family. When not working, he loved getting outdoors hunting and fishing. He helped many family and friends harvest their first deer. He was often taking a son, grandchild, or his sister with him in the canoe to check limb lines in the North Canadian River.
Eugene is preceded in death by his son, Samuel Wayne Davenport, brothers, Lewis, Leslie, Freddie and Billy Ray Davenport and four sisters, Ida Mae Collins, Lorene Freeze, Lena Franquero and Hazel Mayfield.
Eugene is survived by his wife, Susie Davenport, of the home; sons, Wendell Davenport and wife Betty, and Jeff Davenport and wife Traci, all of Paden, OK; seven grandchildren, Missy Husted, Katie Parsons and husband, Larry, Ryan Davenport and wife, Taylor, all of Paden, OK, Megan Hawley and husband, Jake of Ada, OK, Brady Davenport and wife, Emma of Prague, OK, Sydni McKenzie and husband, Ben of Mustang, OK and Ashley Youngblood of Norman, OK; as well as a pile of great grandkids, beloved nieces and nephews and other extended family.
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