‘It was always giving back, not giving’
‘It was always giving back, not giving’CHARLOTTE — When they died, longtime St. Vincent de Paul parishioners Chuck and Terry Davis left more than $338,000 to their parish in the form of an endowment.
The Terry and Chuck Davis Endowment was the last in a long line of efforts the Davises made to support their parish since they first joined in 1999.
For 17 years they lived at The Cypress, a continuing care retirement community near the church, before Terry passed away in 2015. Even though Chuck moved to California to live near family after his wife’s death, he did not forget St. Vincent de Paul Church and his faith community. When he died in March, he made arrangements to be interred next to his beloved wife in the parish’s columbarium – which he also helped to design.
Father Mark Lawlor served as the Davis’ pastor at the time. He was a close family friend and offered both funeral Masses.
“Shortly after I was assigned to the parish in 2003, a resident of The Cypress requested that I consider celebrating a First Friday Mass in their Health Center. I celebrated the First Friday Mass for the next 13 years.”
In that time, he recalled, he came to know many of the residents who were parishioners and who participated in the Mass. “Chuck and Terry always helped to coordinate the Mass by checking with the administration for the room and Chuck often served as the lector,” he said.
He was invited to lunch at the Club House following the Mass and through these lunches he came to know the Davises very well.
“They were very devout in their Catholic faith and generous in all aspects of stewardship,” Father Lawlor said. “They were part of our columbarium committee and were instrumental in forming the policy and the design of the columbarium.
“When we began our capital campaign for the Ministry Center and Chapel, we had our first information session at The Cypress and Chuck spoke in favor of the initiative. The Davises were supportive of the project from the beginning and bought the monstrance for the Chapel of the Holy Family,” he said.
Another generous gift the couple made was in gratitude for their marriage of 67 years. They made the memorial donation for the stained glass window in the chapel depicting the Betrothal of St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary. “It was very sad when Terry died in her home in 2015,” Father Lawlor recalled. “Following her death, the family donated many household items to the Homeless Relief Ministry of St. Vincent de Paul.” He was blessed to receive some of their wedding china to remember them by.
The couple’s son, Bob Davis, served as executor upon his father’s passing.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone in my life who was more dedicated and more supportive of the Church and more true to their faith than my mom and dad,” he said. He recalled that his mother’s family was very devout and his father, who grew up as a Southern Baptist, converted to Catholicism in college before marrying his mother.
Davis shared that his parents never missed Sunday Mass and they volunteered at many parish events over the years. “Every part of their lives was centered around the Church.”
“They lived modestly on a fixed income,” he explained. “They wouldn’t subscribe to cable TV because they didn’t want the monthly expense. They were so conservative with their spending and yet would think nothing of donating thousands of dollars to the Church,” he said.
Davis believes his parents were invested in the people of St. Vincent de Paul Parish and wanted to make a difference in their lives. In their humility, he said, the last thing they would want is for people to know all that they did for the parish.
“Their motivation was pure. They never did it for publicity. It was always giving back, not giving.”
The Terry and Chuck Davis Endowment will be used specifically for maintenance of the church and buildings on the church property.
“Chuck and Terry passed from this life, but they are fondly remembered,” Father Lawlor said. “Their gracious donation and the establishment of this endowment will provide for the positive ministry of the Church for many generations to come.”
The endowment is being administered by the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation. Founded in 1994, the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation now totals 261 endowments totaling more than $50 million in assets.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Learn more
Individuals can establish an endowment in the diocesan foundation by leaving a bequest in their will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a gift of real estate, a gift of life insurance, cash or securities sufficient to set up an endowment, or a life income arrangement such as a trust or annuity. For information about setting up an endowment to benefit the Church in western North Carolina, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..