Alan T. Davisson ’48

Date posted: January 2, 2013, 11:12 am

Alan T. Davisson ’48 passed away on Sunday, December 23, 2012. He was born in West Orange, New Jersey, on February 5, 1923, to Alan C. and Jessie Tuttle Davisson. Davisson graduated from Montclair High School in Montclair, New Jersey, in 1941. He studied metallurgy at MIT, completed his sophomore year, and then joined the Army. He was a paratrooper before being assigned to the 813th Tank Destroyer Battalion, Company B, and was in Europe from approximately September 1944 to February 1946. In Alsace Lorraine, he was seriously wounded, but he recovered enough to rejoin his unit and continue the fight during the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the Purple Heart. After WWII ended in Europe, he stayed to help with the Displaced Persons Program.

Davisson returned to the U.S. and completed his degree at MIT in 1948. He later settled in Moultonborough, New Hampshire. He worked for Joe Dodge as his assistant at the AMC Pinkham Notch Lodge circa 1950-1952. For decades, he was an avid farmer dedicated to his garden and orchard. He founded Davisson Farm Enterprises, a maintenance and home contracting business to service mostly summertime homeowners. He was forced by illness to retire several years ago.

Davisson donated his body to Dartmouth Medical School. He is survived by his sister, Dale Davisson Dodd; her husband, Howard S. Dodd; nephews Jonathan C. Dodd and Mark D. Dodd; niece Lois D. Reuter; and five grandnephews and nieces.