David W. Davenport, Jr.

David William Davenport, Jr., 54, of Bunnlevel, North Carolina passed away early in the morning on Wednesday, January 2, 2019. He was born on May 4, 1964, in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, to David W. Davenport, Sr. and Margaret L. (Hodgdon) Davenport.

David was preceded in death by his sister Barbara Lynne Davenport. He is survived by his mother and father, by his sister Dixie Lee Clark and husband Jayme of Gahanna, Ohio, his sister Alicia (Lisa) Davenport of Durham, Connecticut, and his brother John C. Davenport of the home.  He is also survived by his nieces, Jennifer Conn and husband Patrick, and Alicia Gomez and great niece Makayla Gomez, and by his nephew, Christopher Frazier and great nephews Trenton and Leo Frazier.  David was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Charles and Viola Davenport of Ingalls, North Carolina and his aunt Barbara Davenport of Ingalls, North Carolina, as well as his maternal grandparents William C. and Helen Hodgdon of Center Montville, Maine.

David bravely fought his battle with cancer head-on as he did with all the challenges in his life.  He had the support and love of his extended family, including aunts and uncles Alice and Henry Charles of Greensboro, NC; Ken Davenport of Ingalls, NC; Margaret and Carl Brenden of Columbus, MT; Charles and Brenda Davenport of Fayetteville, GA; Marie and Russell Kincaid of Milford, NH; William and Arlene Hodgdon of South Berwick, ME; and Patricia and Randyl Cournoyer of Jaffrey, NH.

David began his life with a medical condition that led to his life in a wheelchair, but he never let that stop him from achieving what he wanted in his life.  David was a 1983 graduate of Pine Forest Senior High School in Fayetteville, NC. He attended UNC Greensboro from 1983-1984.  He withdrew due to health issues but continued his education at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurenburg, NC, and then UNC-Chapel Hill, until finally completing a Bachelor’s degree in Communications (major) and English (minor) at East Carolina University in 1994.  In 1996 he moved back to the Bunnlevel area and began employment with Cumulus Broadcast Co., in Fayetteville, NC.  He worked on air under the name of Hunter Green and was also program director for various local radio stations, including WQSM-98.1 (“Q98”) for ten years, until his health issues caused him to retire from working. 

David’s accomplishments have been many and his victories have paved the way for others with disabilities.  As far as we know, he was the first physically disabled student to “mainstream” into the Cumberland County school system, at a time when disabled students were diverted to a single class and taught little more than life skills in school.  David wanted a real education and pursued it, despite facing physical barriers and, sometimes, human barriers as well.  Most people when meeting him for the first time would see only the wheel chair, but as they spent time with him,  the chair would vanish and they would be in the presence of a unique and gifted individual whose quick wit, quirky sense of humor, and vast knowledge of a world of subjects would leave them a bit better for having met him. He was known for his lifelong love of science fiction movies and TV shows, and even dabbled in a little science fiction writing himself, writing creative and humorous stories with unlikely twists.  In his more recent years, he became an avid coin collector, and found creative ways to share his love of coins with his family every Christmas.  It was an honor to be his parents and an honor to be his siblings.  Even though he is gone from this earthly life his spirit will continue to guide us and his memory will always bring smiles to our faces. 

A memorial service will be conducted at 2:00 PM Sunday, January 6, 2019 at O'Quinn-Peebles-Phillips Chapel, 1310 S. Main St., Lillington, NC 27546 with Rev. Robbie O'Quinn officiating. The family will receive friends after the service at the funeral home.

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