Enrique J. Davila

Obituary of Enrique J. Davila
Enrique J. Davila, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, veteran, and dedicated biomedical engineer, passed away on October 11, 2025, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey, surrounded by his family. He was 77 years old.
Born on October 31, 1947, in Manhattan, New York, Enrique was the son of the late Hippolito Davila and Enriquetta Camunas. Raised in New York City, he grew into a man known for his intelligence, perseverance, and selfless work ethic.
At just 18 years old, Enrique was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1966 and served bravely in the Vietnam War as a forward observer, calling in artillery strikes under dangerous conditions. His courage and sacrifice earned him the Purple Heart. His experiences in Vietnam shaped his life profoundly, and he carried the lessons of resilience, honor, and compassion with him always.
After returning home, Enrique graduated Phi Theta Kappa from Bramson ORT school and was depicted in many advertisements as a top student for the school in the 80s. Enrique built an extraordinary 40-year career as a biomedical engineer at the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Bronx. His work focused on repairing and maintaining life-sustaining hospital equipment such as defibrillators and infusion devices-critical tools that helped save countless lives. He was known for his unmatched skill in troubleshooting complex machinery, his deep understanding of technology, and his love for helping others. He often compared the joy and pride he felt in repairing medical devices to opening presents on Christmas Day.
A natural teacher and mentor, Enrique passed on his passion for his work to his son, Luis-Enrique, and the two proudly worked side by side at the VA Hospital for many years. His colleagues admired his intelligence, reliability, and unwavering dedication; he famously never took a sick day in his entire career. He took helping patients, especially veterans, extremely seriously and often sacrificed breaks and downtime to assure devices were fixed and operating effectively. One of his proudest moments was when his patient was his own father. He chose to fix his father's feeding pump rather than take his own break. Enrique always made sure to treat each patient as if they were his own family.
Enrique met his beloved wife, Paula, when she was a nurse caring for his grandmother. Their connection was immediate, and they shared a loving bond for 57 years. They officially married on January 22, 1980, just before the birth of their son. In April 2007, Enrique and his family moved from the Bronx to Totowa, New Jersey, where they built a peaceful life together.
Beyond his career, Enrique loved reading machinery schematics, fixing electronics, working on computers, playing war video games such as Call of Duty, watching Gunsmoke and the Rifleman on television, and always finding ways to solve problems others couldn't. He was as brilliant with his hands as he was with his mind-a man who truly understood how things worked, both mechanically and emotionally.
Enrique is survived by his loving wife, Paula Davila; his son, Luis-Enrique Davila and his wife, Nisa; his daughter, Monica Davila; and his cherished grandchildren, Daniel, Brandon, Marissa, Zaiden, Zenaida, and Zerenity. He is also survived by dear friends who will forever remember his wisdom, kindness, and humor.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, Hippolito Jr. and Carlos Davila.
In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions may be made in Enrique's memory to the , honoring his lifelong dedication to his fellow servicemen and women, 1530 Wilson Blvd, Suite 550, Arlington, VA 22209
Enrique will be remembered as a hero, a scholar, and a family man whose strength, humility, and compassion left an indelible mark on all who knew him.
Services for Enrique are being held privately for his family under the care of Madison Memorial Home.