Davis Vilen, 68, died Thursday, October 10, 2002 at Northwest Medical Center, Thief River Falls, MN.

Funeral service will be 11:00 AM, Tuesday, October 15, 2002 at Evangelical Covenant Church with Reverend Merrill Kindall officiating. Burial will be at Riverview Memorial Gardens. Lancaster, MN at 2:30 P.M.

Visitation will be 4 " 8 PM, Monday, October 14, 2002 at the Johnson Green Funeral Home, Thief River Falls, MN, with a 7 PM prayer service and for one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday.

Davis Lee Vilen was born March 6, 1934, at Lancaster, MN, the son of Davis A. and Dorothy (Olson) Vilen. He was baptized and confirmed at Mission Covenant Church in Hallock, MN. He grew up and attended school in Hallock. He also attended and graduated from the Agricultural School in Crookston, MN.

On December 13, 1985, Davis was united in marriage to Jo Barros at Lake Bronson, MN. He worked and traveled extensively as an engineer for Thermo King of Minneapolis, MN. He retired in the early 1980s. In 1985, the couple moved to Lake Bronson, MN, then to Thief River Falls, MN in 1999, where they have since resided.

Davis enjoyed tinkering and fixing things. He was an avid Indy race fan and at one time worked in the pit crew for Thermo King Race Team.

Survivors include wife, Jo; 2 stepchildren, Robert (Patricia) Updegrave and Sharon (Roger) Swift, all San Diego, CA; a step grandson, Christopher; 3 step grandchildren, Erika, Christopher and Vanessa; mother, Dorothy Vilen, Thief River Falls, MN; sisters, Jeanette Bockwitz, Minneapolis, MN and Debbe Duden, Minneapolis, MN.

Preceded in death by father, Davis A. Vilen, brother, James E. Vilen and step grandson, Scott Swift.