Daytona hotel icon Bob Davis remembered at funeral for work ethic, compassion, energy

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PORT ORANGE  — Longtime Volusia County hotel leader Bob Davis was remembered for a work ethic, compassion and energy that extended far beyond the hospitality industry at a visitation and funeral service on Friday, July 18, at Lohman Funeral Home.

In closing remarks of an hourlong service, Rabbi Mendel Niasoff urged a standing-room crowd in the funeral home’s chapel to honor Davis and his legacy of community service by continuing his dedication to education, literacy and other issues close to his heart.

“Make the world a better place, a more loving place, a more caring place,” Niasoff said. “Find one thing you can do, one good deed that you can do today, and say, ‘I do this for Bob.’”

Davis, the devoted and colorful longtime patriarch of the destination’s hotel and tourism industry for nearly 60 years, died on Sunday, July 13, following a two-year battle with cancer.

He was 87.

Davis funeral attended by Volusia tourism, business, elected leaders

On Friday, a steady stream of mourners arrived throughout the two-hour gathering, ranging from well-known hospitality, business and government leaders to rank-and-file hotel workers who owed their careers to belief in their potential initially expressed by Davis.

Bob Davis, president and CEO of the Lodging & Hospitality Association of Volusia County, addresses a Travel & Tourism Week celebration event in 2024 in Daytona Beach. Davis, who died on July13 at age 87, was remembered for his exceptional work ethic, compassion and energy at a funeral service on Friday, July 18.

The latter applied to Pierre Louis, who stopped at several points to blink back tears as he shared a story during the funeral service about how the seeds for his 30-year Marine Corps career were planted when he went to work as a 16-year-old dishwasher at the Hawaiian Inn when Davis was the hotel’s general manager.

“He always taught me about responsibility, and I never forgot that,” said Louis, standing in front of the white coffin decorated with a framed photo of Davis and his beloved New York Mets baseball jersey on top.

“He said, ‘Never ever, ever forget, you can do anything that you set your mind to do.’”

The public visitation was followed by a private burial service at Mt. Sinai Cemetery in Daytona Beach.

Among those on hand to pay their respects were Volusia County Council members Matt Reinhart and David Santiago, Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood and former Daytona Beach Mayor Larry Kelly, who served for 12 consecutive terms from 1974-1993, as well as a long list of area hotel executives, tourism and business leaders.

During the service, Santiago, attired in a New York Mets jersey, regaled the crowd with tales of Davis dancing up a storm at a Deltona community event. He then turned serious:

“He (Davis) was a true advocate,” he said, “and it wasn’t just about hotels. It was community. He was a true servant.”

Davis remembered as Volusia 'institution' never too busy to help

Before the service, others offered similar tales of how Davis had inspired and uplifted the community since arriving in Daytona Beach from upstate New York in 1966.

“His impact was personal to me,” said Androse Bell, a Bethune-Cookman University graduate and former general manager at Daytona’s Hard Rock Hotel who now works as general manager of Brightline’s Orlando station.

“As a hospitality student, he was somebody I could call on to get an authentic mentorship, which was unique for someone in my position as a student at B-CU.”

Bob Davis (in white hat) is applauded by the crowd at an event to honor his 60 years of service to the hospitality industry and the community in August 2024 at Daytona State College. Davis, who died on July 13 at age 87, was remembered for his exceptional work ethic, compassion and energy at a funeral service on Friday, July 18.

It was a scenario that Bell would see repeated many times with other students.

“That was the thing about Bob. He was never too big to help, whether you are the housekeeper at a hotel, a student or a general manager.”

Nearby, former Volusia County Council member and longtime community advocate Pat Northey echoed that sentiment, based on her own experiences.

“Bob is an institution in Volusia County,” Northey said. “When I started in government in the 1990s, he guided many of us on navigating important issues. Plus, he was simply one of the kindest men I’ve ever known, a dear friend. I will miss him and his emails.”

Longtime Volusia County educator and former School Board member Carl Persis recalled meeting Davis in 1981 and being amazed by his ability to get things done.

“He was such an advocate of public schools,” Persis said. “I’ve never known anyone who was more persistent, more determined. When he set a goal, get out of his way. He was going to make it happen. He was an inspiration to me because he never quit.”

To honor Davis, mourners vow to continue his good work

Looking ahead, those who will cherish his memory vow to build on that momentum, said John Betros, who served with Davis as chairman of the Lodging & Hospitality Association of Volusia County.

“The world, our community and our industry has lost a very good man,” Betros said during the service, choking back tears. “But we’re going to carry on his legacy.”  

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona hotel icon Bob Davis remembered at funeral for work ethic, compassion, energy