SPOTLIGHT ON OUR RJR62 CLASSMATE

                                                PAMELA BAIN DAVIS

    Our great classmate, Pamela Bain Davis, has led and continues to lead an amazing life!   It was my great privilege for me to have some phone-time with Pam and for her to tell me her story.

     Pamela Laird Bain was the second born child of William Laird Bain and wife, Mildred Frances Mazzochi Bain. She and her older sister, Sharon, were born in Bergen County, New Jersey, where their father worked for Bell Laboratories. It was our good fortune that in the late 1940s, Mr. Bain was transferred to Western Electric, which brought the Bain family to Winston-Salem.

    In Forsyth County, Mr. Bain would also serve as Superintendent of Schools. Pam’s mother had graduated as an RN from Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey and became a nurse at our Baptist Hospital and later at Forsyth hospital, where she worked mainly in surgery and private duty. Pam and Sharon attended Old Town Elementary School. In1957, Sharon entered Reynolds High School for her 8th grade year, and the next year,1958, Pam joined her sister at Reynolds.

                                    R.J. Reynolds High School

     At RJR, Pam had an extraordinary high school experience. Our 1962 RJR Black and Gold Annual has six full lines, showing Pam’s many extracurricular activities. Just to name a few, Pam served on the Student Council and was President her senior year; also, she was a cheerleader and served as the chief cheerleader her senior year; she was a Senior Marshall and an active member of numerous other service clubs. On top of that, in 1962, Pam was voted the superlative honors of “the Most Popular” and “the Best All Around”.

     As I reflect on those times, it is astonishing that Pam had the ability, the energy, and the versatility to participate so well in so many different areas - Perhaps our Pam Bain was our RJR62 Renaissance Woman.

               Wake Forest University- From a Demon to a Deacon

     Then, high school was over, so what was next? Well, Pam, who obviously loved black and gold, headed a few miles up Reynolda Road to Wake Forest. She majored in English and education and was very active in college activities, including student government and cheerleading. Early on at Wake Forest, a notable event occurred during orientation that might be called a harbinger of her future and perhaps the coming of one of the most significant events of Pam’s life. As the story goes, Pam and a friend, (Mary Johnson), were walking back from Wait Chapel, heading to the dorm, when they passed the Pika (Pi Kappa Alpha) fraternity house. There, on a nearby wall sat a long row of Pika fraternity brothers. Suddenly, as Pam and Mary approached them, all but one of the brothers jumped off the wall and rushed toward these two attractive ladies to invite them to a weekend social. Amazingly, the one brother, the survivor, who was left sitting alone on the wall, drew Pam’s attention the most. Immediately, referring to this lone survivor, Pam said to Mary, “Look at that guy. He’s the one I would like to meet!” The magic of romance, however, didn’t happen, that is, not yet.  Rather Pam went on her way and was active in her college life, meeting many people, cheerleading and having a great time, and even becoming the Sweetheart of Sigma Chi. Nevertheless, in time, the anointed survivor who had been left sitting alone on the Pika wall would become more than just a memory.

                                        Romance Blooms                     

      His name was Don Davis, a freshman running back on a football scholarship from New Bern, NC. There was, however, a slight problem: He had a girlfriend!  And worse, the girlfriend was a cheerleader at of all places, archrival, UNC!   But never fear because time sometimes changes things!

    And sure enough, a while later, Pam and Don wound up on a blind date, which went quite well. Their romance began to bloom and was progressing towards something more serious, but then, summer vacation came, prompting the summertime blues as Pam headed off to to a job in Ocean City, Maryland to wait tables. Now facing a long summer absence from each other, the furtherance of Pam’s and Don’s fledgling romance seemed questionably bleak and be at the risk of becoming extinct – but good sense was on the way!

      Don was determined not to let the flame fizzle out!  That summer, he surprised Pam with a visit to Ocean City.  After greeting each other warmly, he and Pam stopped for ice cream, then went for an easy-going stroll on the beach.   As they ambled along with Pam nibbling innocently on her cone of coffee-flavored ice cream, she and Don chatted about how their respective summers had been going. Then, strangely, there was a long pause, and their conversation came to an abrupt halt, as a long silence seemed to foretell that something big was coming.

   Unexpectedly, Don turned to Pam as he looked into her eyes and suddenly did it!  He popped the question! - Will you marry me?” Don asked hopefully.   Those words sent Pam’s antenna skyward, and she bubbled over in excitement.  For a fleeting second, she was flabbergasted and a bit discombobulated as she struggled to reply but bobbled her ice cream cone, sending it airborne - but almost simultaneously, she let out a high pitched, “Yes, Yes, Yes!”

     The Wedding and their Sixty-Year Golden Jubilee Anniversary

     After graduation, on August 6^th, 1966, Pam and Don were married at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem. This coming August 6^th of 2026, the couple will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary!! Pam says that her grandchildren go crazy when they think about being with one person for that amount of time…

                            The War Intervenes

     Don had been in ROTC at Wake Forest and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and soon received his marching orders – He was headed for Viet Nam – Saigon. So, for the next year, from 1968 until 1969, Don was in a war zone during one of the deadliest times of the Viet Nam War.  There were many tense moments and many prayers said.  Meanwhile, Pam lived with her parents in Winston Salem and taught English at Parkland High School.   She and Don mailed letters back and forth every day as their love remained strong and steadfast.  (They still have these letters today, which are now being read by Don and Pam’s grandchildren.) Thankfully, their prayers were answered, and Don returned home safely and was honorably discharged just one day short of making Captain.

       Pam says that as she and Don look back on that year of war and their separation, they see it as an unfortunate positive – “if that makes sense.”  Pam says that “It was a time for self-growth, and a time of commitment and devotion that strengthened a lasting relationship.

                The World of Business and Multiple Moves

    In 1969, Don was recruited by IBM in Hartford, Connecticut, so Pam and Don moved to Simsbury, a small town nearby. There, they had their two children, Donald Bryan (1970) and later Ashley Bain (1973) and eventually, much to their   parents’ delight, both children became Wake Forest - Demon Deacons. In 1979, Don joined a start-up company, STK, and moved the family to Atlanta, where they call home because they have lived in Atlanta three times and left there four times. In fact, all their children and their 4 grandchildren, three girls and one boy, now live there when they are not in school.

   Don was in computer sales, and back then, if you can imagine, there was no internet!  Therefore, instead of flying back and forth calling on customers as he might have been doing today, he and Pam were moving frequently from one area to another.  From1982-1984, they were in North Dallas; from 1984 to1995, they were back in Atlanta, where they built a new house in Sandy Springs on the Buck Head line; from1995-1999, they were in Denver in the Cherry Creek community and also in the Castle Pines community where they built yet another house; from 2000-2001, they were back to Atlanta.  And finally, in 2001, Don and Pam retired to Bluffton, South Carolina where they lived in 4 different Places!!!! In fact, as they made their frequent moves, some boxes were never unpacked and went off and on the truck to their next location.

     I questioned Pam about what effect the many moves might have had on her children. Were the moves damaging to their growth or did it negatively affect them in any way? Pam’s response was inciteful and was based on her son, Bryan’s perception, who had told her that the many moves had a positive effect on him. It had taught him to be more outgoing and not to delay in moving toward his objectives. After all, he didn’t know how long he would be in one place; thus, whether it be for academic, athletic, or social purposes, he should move quickly less he might not have another chance. In other words, there was no time to be a procrastinator. Ashley agreed and added that she loved taking advantage of what each state had to offer in having new experiences, like skiing in Colorado and New England, riding horses in Texas, boating in Georgia, and sports everywhere.

    Of course, Pam and Don’s children, that also include Bryan’s spouse, Heather, and Ashley’s spouse, Fred, all of whom have turned out to be outstanding people with amazing families. Pam and Don have four grandchildren: Madeline and Kendall Davis and Gracen and Davis Beilstein. The oldest grandchild is 23, and the youngest is 18. Pam and Don have always spoiled them rotten and really enjoy the fact that they love to visit, however, Pam says, “They also particularly love coming to see us because of our proximity to the BEACH!

                    Life in Bluffton, South Carolina

           Don had a very successful career and retired at 55 years old, but although he was an avid golfer with a low handicap, he got bored and started to dive back into the business world trying his hand at a number of business ventures. On the other hand, Pam found playing tennis, golfing, and biking very appealing, and in her older years, she took up oil painting, which has become a passion and her avocation. Although she shows and sells her artwork, she does it mostly for enjoyment rather than profit.

       Pam’s catchy sobriquet is “beachy woman” because, she loves the beach and always has. The Beachy Woman says her best day is sitting in the surf reading a book and hearing Don and the family in the background. She says her one regret was not perfecting a musical instrument because she absolutely has no talent in music. She says that some of her favorite memories are the innocent fun she had hanging out with so many of her friends during those wonderful days at Reynolds High School.   She says her favorite saying is, “Don’t cry because it is over, but smile because it happened…” She says that she thanks her Lord daily for all His blessings and for keeping her anchored during challenging times.

   Having last seen Pam several years ago at our last reunion, I remembered how great she looked then, so I had to ask about her health and about how she had managed to keep her good looks. She said she did have some shoulder and knee issues, but they are okay now. She did offer some great advice to all of us as we journey through these sometimes onerous octogenarian years. Pam says. “Do not act your age and Keep dancing!!!

                              Author’s Comment   

       As I have gotten to know Pam better, I would say that one of her most outstanding qualities is the way she just naturally radiates love and kindness to everyone she meets.  This is even reflected in the way she is quick to extend her sympathy and provide kind words in the “In Memory” section of the RJR62 website at the loss of one of our classmates.  Even more remarkably, she seems to bring out the best in everyone she meets and makes them feel like a better person. Also, just learning about Pam’s and Don’s happy, full, and active life despite them being old – uh, like me - has been an inspiration!  It makes me want to dig out my Bass Weejuns, head for the beach, and go shagging in the sand, and maybe even dare to try a belly roll!

    So, I say, thank you Pam Bain Davis for being our RJR62 classmate.  You have always made us proud. Pam, we of the R.J. Reynolds Class of 1962 send you our deepest gratitude and wish you and Don God’s greatest blessing.