Letter to the Editor – Billy Powell

Dear Mr. Oliver:

The HHJ obituaries often bring back fond memories.

For example, a recent obituary on Davis Posey reminded me of his mother and father, whom I knew back during school days. His mother was Billie Davis, who was Mayo Davis’ daughter, and a Perry High cheerleader in 1948 and 1949 (she’s listed in “Pride of the Panthers”). Billie was a pretty girl and cheered for Perry’s second state championship basketball team in 1949. After that, Perry produced seven more state championships and became a basketball dynasty. After Coach Staples retired, Paul Hartman coached the Perry State Championship team in 1966.

Coach Eric Staples became the winningest coach in the nation and Perry became a basketball town. Along with 4-star General Courtney Hodges, United States Senator Sam Nunn, and Representative Larry Walker, Coach Staples became one of Perry’s greatest citizens.

Davis Cosey’s father was Virgil Cosey who married Billie Davis–both graduated from PHS. Virgil joined the Air Force and became a jet pilot. I was told his plane crashed. Later, Billy Davis Cosey married Bill Sexton, who was Davis Cosey’s step-father. Wish I could have met Davis Posey. He was a fine man and a credit to Perry. My deepest sympathy goes out to parents, Bill and Billie Sexton, and the entire family. Would love to see them.

I played on Perry’s 1953 state championship team, its third.

I am closing in on 87, and I imagine the former Billie Davis is in her early 90s.

Being a Perryan who grew up on the streets of Carroll and Main, I dearly love Perry.

Keep up the great work at the Houston Home Journal!

Respectfully,

Billy Powell

Perry, Ga.

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