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Youth director of The Dalles Corps, Joshua “Josh” Davitt, 23, was promoted to Glory from Portland, Ore., on May 7 after a violent altercation with his roommate.
Born Aug. 9, 1989, in Brunswick, Maine, Davitt grew up in The Dalles (Ore.), and graduated from The Dalles High School.
Two years ago, he accepted employment as donations receiver at a Salvation Army thrift store. After working for a month, he told Majors Kevin and Tammy Ray, The Dalles corps officers, about a DUI conviction he received prior to his employment that required him to serve a two-week jail sentence. Davitt was concerned that he would be let go, but his job was held for him with the condition that he never let this happen again.
Following Davitt’s jail experience, he began to attend church at the corps. At the Rays’ invitation, he attended The Gathering, the Western Territorial congress, in June 2012. There he decided that he wanted to become a soldier of The Salvation Army.
He began to accept more responsibility with the youth at The Dalles Corps. In September 2012, Davitt became director of The Loft, a teen hangout run by the corps. Instrumental in its success, he was working to develop it into an after-school center for middle and high school students.
Davitt believed that it was his duty to tell others about Jesus. In December 2012, he finally decided that he was ready to become a Salvation Army soldier—ready to wear the uniform and reveal to the world the changes he had made in his life because of his relationship with Jesus Christ. He was ready to do whatever God wanted him to do.
He is survived by his father, Joseph Davitt and his wife, Vicky; his mother, Billie Jo Scott; his four brothers, Nicholas Davitt, Cameron Davitt, Justin Scott and Jarett Scott, and his grandparents, Joseph and Viola Davitt.
His memorial service was May 16 at Calvary Baptist Church in The Dalles.
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