Obituary of Richard Duane Davis

Richard Duane Davis died peacefully on January 12, 2005, surrounded by family and friends. Rich was born in Snoqualmie, WA on January 9, 1956, and grew up in Renton, WA. He enjoyed volunteering his entire life. At the age of 12 he volunteered for the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle. As a teenager, he helped found Camp I-VY, a summer camp for families affected by hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. Rich was a founding member of the Men’s Advocacy Network of the National Hemophilia Foundation. Rich made Thurston County his home for the last 23 years where he continued his community involvement. In the early 1990s Rich volunteered on Thurston County Health Department’s HIV/AIDS advisory board and spoke in schools about his experiences. He spent several years as a member of the Statewide Facility Access Advisory Committee, helping to improve disability access across the state. An active member of the Olympia Genealogical Society, he served as president in 2001. Most recently, he was a volunteer participant in the Toastmasters Club at the Womens’ Prison in Purdy, Washington. In 2003 Rich retired from the State Department of Labor & Industries. Before working for the state, he served St. Michael Catholic Church as Liturgist from 1987-91. Encountering an assortment of physical and medical obstacles during his life, Rich insisted on approaching them with hope, activism, and integrity. In addition to his community activities, he proved an inspiration to many with his passion for living. Rich relished the increased ease of mobility he experienced after two joint replacements and was hopeful about his liver transplant in the summer of 2004. Rich is survived by his wife, Megan E. Davis; two daughters, Gwendolyn and Georgia Davis; brothers, David and James Davis; a sister, Dawn Salters; his parents A. Shannon Davis and Robert Davis; his grandmother, Addie Morford, and many nieces, nephews, and godchildren. Contributions in Rich’s name can be made to: Cure for Hemophilia: http://www.hemophilia.org/tools/donations.htm Safeplace: http://www.safeplaceolympia.org/donate2.html Camp I-VY: Bleeding Disorders Foundation of WA “In Memory of Rich Davis” 9659 Firdale Ave Edmonds WA 98020