Robert "Bob" Davis

At nine months old, he traveled by train with his mother, Marie Abram, to Denver, Colorado, where he was raised by his mother and his grandparents, Ruth and Clarence Bay. Bob had a true love for his Grandma Bay. Colorado quickly became home, shaping the backdrop of nearly his entire life.

Bob was an only child. He was known to learn to play by himself quite often and to find his own adventures in the back alley of his childhood home. He collected pop bottles to earn money for the movies. At a young age, he learned the value of hard work and money. Bob grew up with little, but he learned perseverance throughout his life, which helped him become a self-made, successful man.

He grew up in downtown Denver and attended the Denver public schools. He graduated from East High School in 1957. A fun fact, Bob attended high school with the famous singer, Judy Collins. Bob graduated from the University of Colorado in 1970 with a degree in chemical engineering.

In 1960, he married Gloria Gardner, and together they welcomed their children: Scott, Laura, Cara, and Ryan. His early career took the family to Brookfield, Connecticut, where Cara was born, and then to Downers Grove outside Chicago. The children remembered the dense forests and ponds filled with wildlife, and early adventures with their mischievous dog Sam. The family eventually returned to Denver, settling first back into their small house on Milwaukee and later into their home on Peakview. This move aligned with Bob's founding of the R.E. Davis Company, a successful business as a manufacturer’s representative for wastewater treatment equipment. He would continue running this successful company until his retirement.

Bob’s engineering mind shaped many parts of his life. He designed much of the family’s Castle Rock home himself—including a beloved atrium overflowing with plants. He built a food dehydrator from a space heater and a smoker from a trash can. He helped his son, Ryan, with science and engineering projects, once laying out a full blueprint for a balsa-wood bridge that became the only one in the class that didn’t break. His analytical nature never waned. He immersed himself in studying the stock market, tracking prices long before the internet, and devising personal formulas he believed might one day beat the system. His routines included—stock tables, solitaire, and blackjack strategy. Later in life, his day trading gave him a purpose.

He had many hobbies and quirks that became treasured family stories. He was an avid gardener whose love of plants grew into a full passion with gardens at each house he lived in. Bob loved to bake braided bread and cook. Man, could he cook... some of the favorites were cocktail shrimp, stuffing, okra, chili, and many soups that would warm a winter day. He loved camping, fishing—especially snagging Kokanee salmon at Dillon Reservoir—and family road trips all over the western US. He enjoyed many genres of music, from Andrea Bocelli and Pavarotti to Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson.

He carried a good-natured, ornery sense of fun—whether petting a shedding dog right next to his son Scott’s mother-in-law, watching Castle Rock fireworks catch the mountainside on fire, or canoeing down an empty Platte River.

In 1993, Bob married Iona Akey after meeting her at a dance in Inverness. She would become his steadfast partner throughout the rest of his life. Their first home was in Englewood, but later they moved north to Thornton. When Iona retired, they moved to Loveland. Together, they would make memories of traveling to places like Vail, Maui, Kauai, New Orleans, Chicago, and many other incredible destinations. One unforgettable memory in Maui was when Bob was biking down Haleakala, which ended in an unfortunate crash with broken ribs. Iona encouraged Bob to lead an active lifestyle; he even ran the Bolder Boulder twice. On the weekends, Bob and Iona loved to ride their bikes from Cherry Creek to downtown for breakfast. Both of them enjoyed hiking together as well as attending plays at the Buell Theater. His two favorite plays were Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables. In his final years, his family expressed profound gratitude to Iona for her unwavering care. As they said, she preserved his life and well-being through her patience, devotion, and strength.

Bob faced significant health challenges, including early brain tumor surgery and heart surgery in his fifties. He remained determined, sharp, and deeply connected to the people he loved. He was delighted in his role as “G-Bob,” with his 17 grandchildren remembering him as a little ornery, very clever, always cooking or gardening, and quick with a funny story or prank.

It is known that a man’s best friend is his dog. Bob had many best friends, but to name a few that were his companions throughout the years were Buck and Nala. Bob loved all dogs. He always took the time to pet each dog that crossed his path, whether he was walking or at a park, or even sitting outside at a coffee shop.

Robert “Bob” Davis is survived by his wife, Iona Davis, children Scott Davis (Susanne), daughters Laura Davis, Cara Hall, and son Ryan Davis (Cortney). Bob is survived by grandchildren Skyler Davis, Shane Davis (Marisa), Alexa Hall, Joshua Hall, Kelsey Hall, Haley Hall, Danielle Hall, Makayla Davis, Ashlie Davis, and Piper Davis. Bob is also survived by two stepdaughters, Nicola Strait (Bryon) and Vicky Rath (Noel) and step-grandchildren: Mckenzie Strait, Payton Strait, Paige Strait, Mason Strait, Tori Gentry, Josi Baxter, and Novi Briggs. Great Grandchildren: Shane and Marisa are expecting Bob’s first great-grandson in April, plus 5 step great-grandchildren.