Frankie Davis more than a barber
Anybody born and raised in Scottdale during the past seven decades knew who Frankie Davis was. A barber by profession for 72 years, he also was a community leader and a good, all-around citizen.
His was the typical barbershop, a place where men gathered and talked about sports, current events and happenings around town.
Frank Davis died on July 9 at age 89. Frankie leaves his wife of 67 years, Doris, his son Roger and wife, and a number of other relatives and friends.
Frankie, according to my mother, gave me my first haircut and trimmed what little hair my father had before his passing in 2008. Both men were of the same generation and served in the Army Air Force during World War II, the predecessor to the U.S. Air Force. Both men also served in Okinawa during the war.
But it was through my father and some of my colleagues in the newspaper profession that I got to know Frankie.
He was what we call in the business a reliable source. Frankie kept a police scanner in his barbershop and would call Ed Cope, now Herald-Standard chief photographer; the late Charlie Rosendale, former Herald-Standard chief photographer; or me when he couldn’t reach the others anytime he heard something that he thought might be of interest. His news tips were generally right on and helped us many times scoop other media.
Frankie was involved in the community, serving as a longtime member of the Scottdale Community Civic and Industrial Association and served as Scottdale police commissioner for many years. He was also a member of the former Scottdale Booster Club, National Rifle Association, the Scottdale American Legion Post 240 and the Scottdale Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7781.
On a more personal level, he did much more.
For example, for about five decades, Frankie spent his Sunday afternoons at the local hospital and nursing homes, going from room to room, offering free haircuts to the patients and his former customers.
His son, Roger, who continues the practice at local nursing homes, said he doubts if a person could go into hospitals today like his Dad based on the increased emphasis on privacy issues.
Cope, our photographer, said Frankie told him that people would approach him in the hospital corridor asking for medical advice. They mistook him for a doctor because he carried his hair-cutting equipment in a leather bag.
Another story about Frankie has to do with one of Scottdale’s longtime characters, Harlem Detweiler. As a child and teenager, I remember Harlem for his bizarre behavior. I never knew his background, but he would often be seen directing traffic in our tiny town or frequenting the local barbershops where he would pick up some cash in return for sweeping the floor. Harlem always wore a heavy black wool overcoat and cap with ear flaps, even during the warmest summer days. Pinned inside that coat was his collection of official badges given to him by area fire and police departments.
Harlem didn’t have much. When he died, donation jars were placed in several businesses in an effort to raise money for a tombstone for his grave. One of those was in Frankie’s shop. As his son, Roger, told me recently, the drive was successful and Harlem’s grave was appropriately marked.
Roger, himself a barber for 47 years, continues to operate the shop in Scottdale. As he said, his father “gave a lot of people their first haircuts.”
But he did much more.
One of my favorite quotations comes from the educator, Horace Mann. He said, “Be afraid to die until you have won some small victory for humanity.”
In Frankie’s case, his was a life where there were many, many small victories for humanity.
Have a good day.
James Pletcher Jr. is Herald-Standard business editor. He can be reached at 724-439-7571 or by e-mail at jpletcher@heraldstandard.com
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