Donal Clifford Davis
OBITUARY
Donal grew up in Point Loma with his parents, Clifford and Dorothy, and his sister Carole. He was a second-generation San Diegan who lived in Ocean Beach as an adult. As a young man, he loved his family, his friends, and his cars. He loved surfing the local breaks with his friends, Ken and Dave – Luscomb’s at Sunset Cliffs was his favorite. Don was a gymnast, sang in Madrigals, and lettered in swimming, graduating from Point Loma High School in 1968. He was married for the first time to his high school sweetheart, Donna Jean Smith in 1969. He became a journeyman carpenter in Portland, Oregon, in 1973. He returned to San Diego, became a father to his two daughters, Erika Joy Dale and Erin Ann Nelson. He worked as a carpenter throughout San Diego County, including the Sea Colony project, the San Onofre Power Plant, and developed three properties in the Ocean Beach area. He was struck with progressive neurodegenerative disease at the age of 26 and became blind in the 1980s. He will be remembered by Ocean Beach residents as an Ocean Beach Elementary School playground volunteer and as Santa Claus at the OB Christmas Parade. He was preceded in death by his father, Clifford Burton Davis of Oklahoma, his mother, Dorothy Olive Dale of San Diego, and his sister, Carole Jean Furguson. He died on February 23, 2026, of his long-term illness. He leaves behind a beloved brother-in-law, Tracy Smith, his two daughters, and four grandchildren.He continues to be dearly missed. A memorial paddle-out will be held later in the year.