Neil Davidson was born on November 5, 1932 to Bessie Faye Bobst and Herman Falls Davidson in Portland, Oregon. He grew up in an Adventist home that had a great impact on his spiritual life for the rest of his life. Neil passed away on September 18, 2018, at the age of 85 years old in San Diego, California.
Neil went to the Mary E. Bennett School for the Deaf which was an oral elementary school in Los Angeles. He graduated from San Pasqual Academy in Escondido, California in 1952. From 1952 to 1954 he went to La Sierra University and he attended Gallaudet University from 1954 to 1955. In 1955 he went back to La Sierra University and graduated from there with a BA in Theology in 1958. On March 20, 1960 he married his life time partner in Christ, Lillian Joyce McOrmond of Sudbury, Canada on March 20, 1960. They raised four children—Daniel, Ann, Scott, and Paul. Susan Bailey (now Buzzell) joined the family as a foster child.
He became the first pioneering full-time pastor for the Deaf in the United States when he was called to the ministry for the Deaf by the Southern California Conference in 1960. He spent many hours and driving miles in southern California visiting and giving Bible studies to many Deaf people from 1960 to 1968 when he was relieved from the job. At the time of the loss of his beloved job he had about 8 to 10 Deaf people who would be baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist church. Instead, his close friend John Issler who took his place and baptized some of them. After that heworked as manager of Chula Vista Health Food Store from 1968 to 1986. During that time he enrolled into San Diego City College where he received his AA degree in Computer Programming that later landed him in a position in Defense Information System Agency. He worked there from 1986 to his retirement in 1998.
Sadly, his beloved wife, Lillian passed away in 2008 leaving Neil alone for the rest of his life until his passing. He spoke fondly of her when he talked with his friends. He always talked about how the Lord led him all through his life—education, ministry to the Deaf, and the best of all—Lillian. Yes, he loved the Lord first and he continued talking about the Bible he loved to read daily. He looked forward to the second coming of Christ whom Neil loved very much for taking care of his life, the blessed hope for him.
*News source from Three Angels Deaf Ministries: https://3adm.org/files/newsletter/2018_october.pdf