Robert William Davis, a wonderful husband, father and lifelong defender of the underdog, died of cancer at his home in Brandon on September 23, 2015. He was 58. Born the youngest of four siblings on September 16, 1957 to Paul and Faith Davis, Robert often joked that his parents -- both 39 years old when he was born -- didn't know they were going to have such a troublesome child. But even Robert's youthful transgressions were of the mischievous and lovable variety: Quietly avoiding his peas by slipping them to the dog, Daisy, under the dinner table, climbing atop the kitchen counter to access forbidden sweets, and, during his middle and high school years, falling in love frequently. Robert's childhood self-description was rooted more in his compassion and empathy for his parents than in the actual trouble he caused them. And he fell in love for the final time at the age of 19, when he met his soon-to-be wife, then Robin DiTaranto, outside their college dorms at the University of Florida. According to the legend, he and his buddies were drinking beers in Murphry Hall when he gazed out the window and saw Robin sitting at a picnic table below. Struck by her beauty and attracted to her long, brown curly hair, he said to his friends, "that's my future wife." He later liked to say that it took all of his "liquid courage" to go talk to her. On June 16, 1979, shortly after he graduated college, they were married, a union that lasted 36 years and resulted in two children, Brittany and Trent. Robert was hard-working and industrious, starting Best Western Meats, a food delivery business, in his early 20s, and then later earning his broker's license and working in real estate. He got along easily with children, elderly people, and dogs. He was indignant about social injustice, and he made a habit of befriending people in difficult circumstances. When a Rotarian friend of his, Bob Devolld, became permanently paralyzed and bedridden after suffering a stroke, Robert visited him for years, bringing him steaks from Outback Steakhouse. Soon Robert was friends with many of the people at Bob's assisted living facility, frequently telling stories of Ms. Charlotte, who had vivid memories of the Civil Rights Movement, and George from Ghana, who ached to go back to his home country and see his family. Robert was also a stand-out father. When his children, Brittany and Trent, were in elementary and middle school, they'd scramble to see him when he'd walk through the door at 5 p.m., knowing the fun was about to begin. He'd dispatch them to corral all the neighborhood children, who came back to the house for some variety of sports, from basketball and soccer to baseball and touch football. Robert participated as either a player or referee, and he had a way of making every child, even the most unathletic, feel like they were an important and talented player. As Robert's children grew into young adults, he remained a favorite and most trusted confidant and friend. He helped his son, Trent, cultivate a love for sports, coaching many years at North Brandon Little League and serving as a lifelong pitching, ping pong and golf partner. When his daughter, Brittany, and her husband, Drew, were hunting for their first home in Tallahassee a few months ago, he helped them search, driving to Tallahassee to offer advice. Throughout his life, Robert maintained a sense of adventure and created his own serendipity through his generous interactions with people. Never were those qualities more obvious than when he joined his daughter in 2012 on an impromptu trip to Tanzania, East Africa, where they stayed with a local family at a beekeeping school in the remote town of Tabora. On the final morning of the trip, during a hotel breakfast at the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam, he struck up a conversation with members of the Tanzanian National Soccer team. One thing led to another, and within the hour, Robert and Brittany were on the field practicing with the players. When they returned to the United States, Robert and Brittany worked with the Brandon 86 Rotary Club and with Rotary International to secure money for a beekeeping non-profit that helps Tanzanian women and youth pull themselves from poverty through beekeeping. Because of the money provided by Rotary International, many impoverished Tanzanian students will have the opportunity to learn a marketable trade. Even as he approached death, Robert was unfailingly gracious, considerate, and interested in other people. He retained his good humor even after two years of painful cancer treatment, and seemed to surprise even the doctors at Moffitt Cancer Center when they gathered in his room, told him his condition was terminal, and recommended he discontinue treatment. "You all agree that's the right decision? Can I have a show of hands?" he joked with the group of doctors in the room, before thanking them profusely for their good work and agreeing that it was time to go home. A graveside service will be held at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Hillsboro Memorial Gardens in Brandon and be followed by a 5:30 p.m. Celebration of Life at Rotary Camp Florida, 1915 Camp Florida Road. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Rotary Camp Florida: PO Box 1027, Brandon, Florida, 33594 or through PayPal: RotaryCampFlorida@verizon.net.