Meredith, NH – Robert (Bob) Davis passed away May 9, 2019 as result of complications from an aneurism.
Bob was born in the Bronx to Art and Olga Davis and grew up in Catskill, New York, a town in the mid-Hudson Valley, where he met Lisa, his-wife-to-be, when he was 7 years old. He graduated from Clarkson University with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Distribution and later earned an MBA at Columbia University in International Business and an MPh in Administration from Pace University.
Having served in the Army National Guard, Bob’s career was in sales for Xerox, then running his own office supply business and later working in health care administration, serving HMOs and medical practice groups.
Bob and Lisa reconnected and married in 1968. The Davises were long-time residents of Suffern in Rockland County, NY and in 2007 they relocated to living year-round in Meredith. Retired and seeking a place that offered access to both water and the mountains, they chose the town for its ideal location that provided them with lakes for boating, forests for hiking and mountains for skiing.
Bob and Lisa both became very involved in their adopted community. Bob was an active member of Rotary, served as treasurer of the Lakes Region Visiting Nurse Association, was a member of the Meredith Conservation Commission and Chairman of Trustees of Trust Funds for the town. Lisa was a long-time member of Altrusa and she donates many hours to Community Caregivers and CASA, serving as a court-appointed advocate for abused and neglected children.
While Lisa was earning a graduate degree in nursing, Bob kept the house running, sharing the cooking and housework with their two daughters. After graduation, Lisa rewarded him by fulfilling his dream of flying lessons (Bob’s father had flown in the Army Air Corps with Billy Mitchell. ) Bob flew private planes for years both on family trips and as a volunteer for Angel Flight. He was also an avid boater often with 4 grandchildren in the bow, and consciously avoiding weekend traffic on the big lake, and a skier, hiker and golfer. He had a passion for what his kids called “Dad’s Twangy Music” - Country and Bluegrass as well as jazz and classical.
Bob loved to travel. When he retired, he and Lisa toured the US from Alabama to Alaska by trailer for a year. Trailering continued after their move to Meredith. They toured most of the National Parks and celebrated their 50th anniversary seeing the volcanoes in Hawaii. They also travelled extensively to visit family in Israel, to Africa, to winter ski in the Alps and to raft the Colorado River.
Surviving Bob are his wife, Lisa (Oren), daughter Robin Epstein and her husband, Jay, and grandchildren Itai and Maya of Yehud, Israel, daughter Laurie Mulsman and her husband, Jon, and grandchildren Rachel and Joel of Salem, Massachusetts. Bob was predeceased by his sister Barbara Margolius.
Bob loved and will be missed by his adopted community of Meredith. Friends will remember Bob as someone who was always willing to lend a hand or give his most honest advice. He was loyal, earthy, with a dry sense of humor, and a true renaissance man with a creative spirit and enduring curiosity. He was progressive-minded, generous with his time and blessed with a loving and caring spirit. He was an adored husband, father, grandfather and is cherished by many dear friends who are mourning his loss.
In lieu of flowers, Bob’s family would prefer that memorial donations be made in his honor to the Meredith Library Fund, to be used for planning, renovation and construction of the library, www.meredithlibraryfund.org.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH is assisting the family with arrangements. They will host a celebration of Bob’s life on May 12, 2019 from 9 – 10:30 a.m. For further information go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com .