Robert D. Davis

Bob Davis of Denver, owner of Specialty Incentives, passed away on December 24th after a brief illness. He was 76. He lived a life committed to family, friends, faith, gratitude, education and excellence. Members of Bob's family who continue his legacy are Barbara, his wife of 51 years; son, Drew; daughter-in-law, Yvonne; grandsons, Jaxon and Cole; and sisters, Jacky Hendricks and Harriet Davis, both of OH. He is preceded in death by sisters, Mary Louise Bendle and Kathleen Mallernee.



Bob grew up in Bergholz, OH and as a child, had rheumatic fever. His damaged heart valves qualified him for State of Ohio financial assistance which made his college education possible. He earned a BBA degree in economics from Ohio University in 1966 and went on to earn his MBA in 1970. At the Athens, OH institution, Bob and Barbara have pledged to create a scholarship recognizing the lives and family values of Bob's parents, Dan and Nellie Davis. The scholarship will allow rural Appalachian area students the opportunity to seek higher education.



Education provided Bob the tools and desire not only to dream, but also to realize those dreams. From their birthplace home of Ohio, Bob and Barbara followed the sun toward the clear western sky in Colorado. In 1972 Bob purchased a Denver commercial silk screen printing business. Then, in 1981 Bob and business partner, Don Lujan, founded Specialty Incentives, a distributor of promotional products. During his professional career, Bob was elected to the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Board of Directors and served as Board chair in 2001. Bob was inducted into the PPAI Hall of Fame in 2012.



Bob shared his entrepreneurial spirit with many. His core business practices included making the company the preferred partner of clients, employees and vendors and building value for the company by focusing on the customer's success.



In recent years, Bob's passion was being ""Buddy,"" the name his grandsons coined for him. He encouraged them, at ages eight and five, to be financially responsible and instilled in them a love of learning. They were well aware of Buddy's interest in the ""news"" as he often had a newspaper in hand. Bob had also begun to introduce the boys to the game of golf-not just the skill set, but also the meaningful relationships one can develop during a round. Bob played his golf at Lakewood Country Club and served there as president in 1986.



Bob's winter golf was played at Wilderness Country Club in Naples, FL where Bob became interested in the work of the Everglades Foundation whose mission uses a science-based approach to restoring the natural waterflow into the Florida Everglades and surrounding wetlands.



In addition, Bob clearly expressed immense gratitude for the care and counsel of the Kaiser Permanente medical professionals who have skillfully contributed to his health journey for decades.



Bob's memorial service will be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2020, at 2 p.m. at Wellshire Presbyterian Church, 2999 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver 80222. Memorial donations may be made to Robert D. Davis Scholarship/Promotional Products Educational Foundation, 3125 Skyway Circle North, Irving, TX 75038; or at www.ppef.us.