Joe Davis

[Flutter.Baybee]

Originally Posted by Dan Nettleton

Joe Davis was my best friend for a long time. I remember way back in the day (before the BBS even) playing one on one basketball at the "Cult" church. He was always Magic Johnson, I was always Larry Bird. Fast forward: I remember him moving into the Maelstrom and telling me about Paradigm. Poker in the Maelstrom. Joe singing the Aladdin soundtrack in the shower, loud enough to be heard throughout the whole house. That beat up Pinto. Rolling my car after getting Larry (Fred) home the night of my 21'st birthday party. The list goes on.

Joe, you were closer than a brother.

Dan (Frodo) Nettleton

Maaaan, I remember being at the Theater watching Aladdin and Papa was sitting there singing "A Whole New World" (Jasmines part no less) at full volume!! Everybody was just fallin on the floor laughin! He Always made people smile, no matter what!
We Love You Papa!!!

[fred]

Well, it took a while for me to get all my thoughts together to write about Joe. Steve and Roo both got ahold of me the same day to tell me that Joe had passed. I simply can't believe that he is gone. I still to this day tell people about Joe rattling the windows in that third floor apartment in Hampton. I think Dan was out on the balcony with me when we noticed the window rattling in time to Joe's loud snoring.

I have so many good memories of Joe and nary a bad one. The same ones most of you have written are still alive in my head. I can also remember going over to his mom's house to have dinner with his family. That had to be one of the best memories I have of Joe. Seeing him with these great people that loved him so much and, best of all, enjoying all that wonderful food!

I remember sitting in the BBS room (didn't he have a cot in there to sleep on at one time?) and he was eating some taco bell in front of his computer. I (as the token mooch at the time) reached over real slow-like to try to grab a piece of his food and he started growling at me. Just that great portrayal of having a real gruff exterior when we all knew he was one of the kindest, gentlest people in the world is what made Joe so endearing. He was always willing to talk or help or joke and we all loved him for it.

Joe, I know everyone else will miss you and so will I. You were a great friend. Even though I hadn't spoken to you in many years, you had a great impact on my life and I thank you for it. Bless you, Joe.

- fred

[Dan Nettleton]

Originally Posted by fred

Well, it took a while for me to get all my thoughts together to write about Joe. Steve and Roo both got ahold of me the same day to tell me that Joe had passed. I simply can't believe that he is gone. I still to this day tell people about Joe rattling the windows in that third floor apartment in Hampton. I think Dan was out on the balcony with me when we noticed the window rattling in time to Joe's loud snoring.

I have so many good memories of Joe and nary a bad one. The same ones most of you have written are still alive in my head. I can also remember going over to his mom's house to have dinner with his family. That had to be one of the best memories I have of Joe. Seeing him with these great people that loved him so much and, best of all, enjoying all that wonderful food!

I remember sitting in the BBS room (didn't he have a cot in there to sleep on at one time?) and he was eating some taco bell in front of his computer. I (as the token mooch at the time) reached over real slow-like to try to grab a piece of his food and he started growling at me. Just that great portrayal of having a real gruff exterior when we all knew he was one of the kindest, gentlest people in the world is what made Joe so endearing. He was always willing to talk or help or joke and we all loved him for it.

Joe, I know everyone else will miss you and so will I. You were a great friend. Even though I hadn't spoken to you in many years, you had a great impact on my life and I thank you for it. Bless you, Joe.

- fred

Dinner at Joe's mom's was always a treat. Goot Lawd talk about good food! She made us do the dishes after dinner once because when we were done we just got up from the table and went to play video games. She came back and yelled at us about our manners. From then on we always asked if we could do the dishes and she always told us no. A very large part of what made Joe special was his mom.
Dan

[MdmAcolyte]

Howdy all,

Joe was always a good friend to me. Even though Id pretty much lost touch with everyone, whenever we saw each other he was always happy to see me and give me some crap about being a stranger... LOL I will always remember his smile - he'd tell me I was mean or something and give me a stern look - and then just kinda laugh at me. He was always kind of happy go lucky way about him and Id always admired that. He genuinely appreciated things - like when he stole the BBS mattress out of my truck so he could sleep on it in Steve's garage - he was happy with it. =) He never left anyone with a bad word and was always your friend regardless if you were his or not. I am sad that events like this is what brings a lot of our old circle of friends back, especially when Joe can't be there to share in it with us.

I am going to be unable to attend the funeral and reception due to work, but if anyone would like to set up another gathering (on a happier note) I would be happy to help coordinate. Meanwhile, I havent seen much posted regarding donations for Joe's mom, if there's been an agreement to donate something individually or in a lump sum, so if somewhere I missed that, please let me know because I would be more than happy to contribute what I can. Not because I feel obligated because Joe was my friend and a big part of my life that I both enjoyed and miss very much, but because I know in the same breath he would do it for me and just about everyone else who has posted since his passing. If nothing else, I think I might still owe him some money for rerolling my character in Tele-Arena... lol

Melissa/Nonny/Matrix

[sherry]

I just wanted to thank everyone who was able to attend Joe's memorial and the gathering at my parents home afterward. It does our hearts good to know that he had soooooo many great friends and that you love him as much as we all do.

A special thanks to James Grummell for all the time and effort you put into coordinating things in Woodbridge for my Auntie Marie, I can't thank you enough for that.

Also, many thanks to all who spoke at the memorial, especially Mark (we all needed that little laugh
We have also enjoyed the many pictures you guys have made available on the web.

We appreciate you all and all that you have done. Many thanks.

Sherry

[Recoil]

The funeral was a wonderful service. I tried to look at it as my own way of saying goodbye for now, knowing we'd meet again at some point in the future.

I bet the first words out of Joe's mouth in the future will be, "Sorry. I didn't mean to leave you guys like that."

While I was napping today, I had the strangest dream and thought I would post it here. I was riding through Kiln Creek, looking for a new home. Something under a nice large tree [don't ask my why]. I couldn't find what I was looking for so I tried to find Big Joe. I looked on Excelsus [unix server], I looked in MajorMud. I "/p papa bear"'d in tele-conference. I couldn't find him anywhere.

At that point, I woke up. Time heals all wounds. I think this wound is going to take a little longer than usual for me.

Steve

[Czar]

I just received the message from Steve about this. I guess it's better to be late than not at all.

I did find it funny that when I read what Steve sent me, I started thinking about all of the fun times playing poker and eating Taco Bell. Also, getting schooled in Mortal Kombat from him at Pro and Mongo's apartment. Only to find that so many others had said the same thing.

I'll miss you PB!

[biggleswat]

Many of you have written here with similar stories about Joe Davis, aka, Big Joe, Papa Bear, Turok, etc. It's truly wonderful to see all of the responses from all of Joe's friends, past and present. Although I wasn't able to make it to the service, I did receive a phone call from a large group of people who were celebrating Joe's life on Friday night, and it was fantastic to hear from everyone; including some people I haven't spoken to in many, many years.

I wanted to add a story to the Big Joe lore, something I really think shows the type of person he was (hard to say).

After Steve's wedding a few years back, a number of us went "on the town" in Norfolk. We hopped from bar to bar, imbibing at every place along the way. While we were on our way back to the hotel, my girlfriend at the time, Ronda (now my wife), badly sprained her ankle / foot. Sprained it so badly in fact, that she was unable to walk at all. Seeing her state, I tried to carry her on my back for awhile, but the combination of alcohol, Ronda's size, and my lack of good core strength, I was unable to carry her the entire way to the hotel.

Always there to help, Big Joe, told Ronda to hop on his back, and he would carry her to the hotel. We all protested mightly; there was no reason for Joe to do such a thing, but he did it all the same. Huffing and puffing the entire way; it was truly a Herculean effort.

I just never had the chance to repay him for that effort.

Joe, I wish I could have carried you on my back for a time, just like you did Ronda. I wish I could have met up with you in May when I was in DC and you were in Baltimore -- it really wasn't that far away. In short, I wish there could have been more time.

Thanks for everything. The memories will always be there, and I thank you for them.

-- Nick Majeran

[Recoil]

Trent just uploaded some great pics from 2000 and 2002. They are in the Big Joe Gallery.

Steve

[joe's ma]

With Sincerest Appreciation:
Your kindness meant so much.

I could not have gone through this transition in my life without your help.

Thank-you for the spiritual, physical and/or financial support I have received from all of you.

Most of all, I thank you for your love of my son Joe, that was poured out at the memorial and the gathering afterwards.

You are in my prayers.

Love in Christ
Marie Davis
Joe's Mom