Richard S. Davis

Albany - Richard Steven Davis, 65, of Albany, NY, passed away peacefully at home on November 16, 2025.

He was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, to Richard and Mary Ellen Davis. Growing up, he was an Eagle Scout and an avid rock hound. His fondest memory of the University of Oklahoma was traveling to bowl games with the marching band (he played the tuba). He graduated with a BA in English and later earned a masters in creative writing at Florida State University. While working on a PhD in English literature at Michigan State University, he taught writing for several years there, as well as at Alma College and Oakland University. He later made a career as a financial aid counselor at University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), Duke University, Williams College, and Hudson Valley Community College. He retired in 2024 from the Office of Financial Aid at SUNY Albany.

Richard was a fiercely independent thinker with a passion for learning; he wanted to know everything about everything. Martin Luther King was his hero. His interests included the history of religion and law; he followed the workings of the Supreme Court closely and always had an opinion about their latest rulings. Well-versed in postmodern literary theory, he especially admired the American beat poets. He was also a scholar of science fiction and fantasy, in particular the work of Scottish writer Iain Banks.

It was during his time at Michigan State that Richard met and married his wife, Leslie Dorfman Davis, who shared his passion for literature and his deep love of cats. During their twenty-nine years together they adopted eight in total.

In addition to his wife, Richard is survived by his sister, Connie Ward, her husband, Kendal Ward, his brother, Ron Davis, his nephew Luke Ward, and his niece Kaleigh Davis.

A celebration of Richard’s life will be held on December 10, 2025, at the Avila retirement community in Albany. Those wishing to honor his memory are encouraged to donate in his name to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation or Whiskers Animal Benevolent League. To leave a message of condolence for the family, visit www.CannonFuneral.com