Loren Kenneth Davidson

Loren died peacefully at home on December 11, 2014 at the age of 92. He was born in Two Ridges, Ohio. Rugged individualist, adventurer, professor of American literature, retired Army Colonel, poet, photographer, and arborist, Loren's passion was maintaining the Davidson family's stone house and farm in Plum, Pennsylvania that dates to the founding of our republic. Loren's parents, sisters, and brother, who knew him as Ken, were dedicated physicians, teachers, and ministers.

During WWII he commanded a cold listening post on the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Immediately after his service in the occupation army in Europe, he crossed Africa by camel with his missionary brother Harrison. He got his M.A. at the University of Kentucky and his Ph.D. at Duke University. As a young professor, he rafted down the Mississippi, recreating Huck Finn's escape, and in 2006 published Down the River about his own adventure on that journey. He taught at Duquesne University, researched his Scottish Clan Davidson heritage, and maintained the family tree back to Revolutionary war veteran Colonel Hugh Davidson.

Loren's greatest adventure was his life with E.T.A. Davidson, a professor of literature, whom he married on Christmas Eve, 1957 in Key West, Florida. On Christmas Day, they continued a year-long quest to interview American authors with a knock on Hemingway's door in Havana, Cuba. He defended his wife and daughter Tina from an attack by nomads in Turkey. His next two children, Eva and Scott were born in Istanbul where he taught at the American College for Girls, part of Robert College. Later, his wife, son Scott and his last two children, Lâle and Loren Jr., joined him on his Fulbright Scholarship to Santiago, Chile. Together they embarked on one of many family car camping trips, a 12,000 mile journey home to New York State.

Above all, Loren was deeply committed to the customs and artifacts of another time. He was a passionate reader of history, literature and travelogues, but his strongest belief was in the oral tradition. His family of grandchildren, nephews and nieces and first, second and third cousins valued his perception, photography and family lore.

He is survived by his wife, E.T.A. Davidson and children Tina Davidson, Eva Davidson and husband Larry Malone, Scott Davidson and wife Lily Ji, Lâle Davidson and husband Charles Brown, and Loren Davidson and wife, Susan Penevolpe, as well as grandchildren, Cassandra Blum, Noble, Nora, and Gabriel Stultz, Luke and Theo Malone, Tess Davidson-Brown, and Jared Leese-Davidson. He is also survived by his sisters, Phyllis Corbitt, Esther Martz and husband Leonard Martz and sister in law, Arlene Davidson, nieces and nephews, Cheyne Davidson, Janine Jones, Daniel Corbitt, Douglas Corbitt, Phillip Martz, Deborah Naaman, Priscilla Ross and David Martz. He is predeceased by mother Mary Love Davidson, father Harrison Davidson, and brother and sister, Harrison and Zelda Davidson.

A memorial service will be held at later time. Contributions are welcome at Catskill Area Hospice who surrounded his family in loving care.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to, www.lhpfuneralhome.com

Arrangements are with the Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home, 51 Dietz St., Oneonta.