Robert "Bob" Davis

 Former St. Lucie County Tax Collector, Robert “Bob” Davis (79) passed away peacefully at his home in early June. He grew up and spent most of his life as a resident of White City and was the 3rd generation of his family to do so. His younger years were spent spearfishing with his father, attending youth services at Dutton Memorial Church, learning to swim by jumping off the White City Bridge into the St. Lucie River, going on adventures with his Boy Scout troop, watching Saturday matinees at the Sunrise Theatre, playing football, working as a shoe salesman for Schiff’s Shoes in downtown Fort Pierce and hunting squirrels in an old orange grove (which he said tasted good after being stewed for a long time). 

 As a youth he befriended a group of local boys whose bond would develop into a lifelong friendship. He attributed their influence as being one of the reasons he continued his education past high school. After graduating from Dan McCarty High School, he was in one of the first classes to graduate from Indian River Junior College, now IRSC. He briefly attended UF before taking a hiatus from academics to enlist in the US Army. After basic training, he was selected for and attended Officer’s Candidate School. He then served overseas in the Vietnam War as a First Lieutenant. Once his tour finished, he returned home and earned an accounting degree from Florida Atlantic University. After working seven years for the Florida Auditor General, he studied intensively to pass the CPA exam. Once accomplished, he and a close friend from the Florida AG office started their own CPA firm and sought the bid for the annual St. Lucie County audit. For almost two decades, he worked as a managing partner of local CPA firms. While not working nights and weekends during tax season he and his partners audited the county’s books and ensured that SLC taxpayer funds were being used and accounted for properly. In the late 1990s, he went back into government employment when he was hired by the SLC Tax Collector, Dorothy Jo Conrad, as the Assistant Tax Collector. He ran for her position when she retired in 2000. After he was elected, he served 3 terms as the SLC Tax Collector before retiring in 2012. He thoroughly enjoyed working for the people of St. Lucie County and with the wonderful ladies and men who worked in the office. 

 In addition to serving his country and his county, Bob served and gave back to his community in many ways. He was a long-time volunteer member of the Fort Pierce Exchange Club where he and the fellow members raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for child abuse prevention programs during the annual Chili Cook Off events. He always oversaw the chili judging competition and took this assignment very seriously (some would say he took it way too seriously). His CPA firm supported local youth during the SLC Fair livestock sales, participated in annual charity events and Bob was a regular volunteer at multiple community fundraising events. 

 Bob was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. While raising his children with wife, Roberta, they embarked on a two-week camping trip every summer to the scenic hills of Eastern Tennessee and West Virginia, with the occasional trips to historic sites like Williamsburg and Gettysburg. These trips strengthened the family bonds and produced beautiful, lasting memories. After the kids were raised, he and Roberta, shared many fun adventures with a close group of friends that resulted in an abundance of laughter and hilarious memories. They would also travel together with these friends to many bucket list locations. 

 Bob’s life was filled with accomplishments that he earned through persistence and hard work, yet he remained a humble man always ready to learn from others. He was naturally quiet but when around close friends and family his great sense of humor and easy-going nature made others feel at ease. He was a problem solver and immediately tackled any situation with a calm resolve and would not back away until a solution was found. He loved watching and listening to the animals and the elements of nature. An avid reader, his digital library amassed hundreds of nonfictions, mysteries and well acclaimed works of fiction. His typical day would begin with him reading the newspaper from front to back while eating breakfast on the porch and sharing the crust of his toast with his faithful dog, Bonnie; and it would end with him sitting in the garage with Roberta watching the birds and waving to neighbors. 

 Bob is survived by his wife, Roberta; his children, Steve and Joanne (Joe); grandchildren, Adam, Connor & Finley; brothers, Eddie and Jeff and is preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Lillian and his sister, Claudia. A celebration of life in his honor will be announced and held later this year. The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to please consider sending a donation to Hospice, the St. Lucie County Historical Society, or Main Street Fort Pierce in Bob’s name.