Bruce Robert Davidson

Beloved Son, Brother, Husband, Father, Grandfather, Uncle, and Friend.  Bruce was born in Whitinsville, Massachusetts on December 19, 1939 to James and Lily Davidson, their third child and second son. He had a wonderful childhood, and many of his fondest memories of his life were from that little town with “The Mill” where everyone’s father worked.  Bruce loved his siblings, and particularly idolized his older brother, Jim––a beautiful soul gone too soon. Sports were a huge part of his life, he watched his brother Jim score 64 points for the Northbridge High Rams basketball team (a record yet to be broken over 60 years later), and he was co-captain of the baseball team with his best friend, Walt.  After marrying his high school sweetheart, Linda, he was recruited by Delta Airlines to work for their marketing and advertising team—and he became a real life “MadMan.” They had three children together; Bruce Robert Davidson, Jr., Susan Beth Davidson, and Pamela Jane Davidson. Bruce loved his children with all his heart, always making time to spend and build memories. Even when he and Linda’s paths separated, he made sure his children knew they were the most important to him.  Whether it was a trip to the Virgin Islands, Old Orchard Beach, Germany, Boston, Arkansas, Washington, D.C., his cottage on Highland Lake, or just his home—there was never a dull moment growing up with a Dad like Bruce. With his quick-wit and sense of humor, there was no situation he couldn’t make into a hilarious adventure.  Bruce, Susan, and Pam all remember eating French fries with malt vinegar on the pier at Old Orchard Beach every summer, picking Blueberries and swimming in the lake in Bridgeton, Maine, camping on the beach and in the woods, and driving with their Dad in his old “Buick Bomb.” When they were a little older, there were the hikes up Old Rag Mountain with a bottle of wine that Bruce would open when they reached the top, where they’d have a picnic and enjoy the gorgeous view.  His work with Delta brought so many wonderful memories and unique experiences, too. There were his company picnics to always look forward to, his flight perks that allowed him to travel all over the world, and all the cool 1960s & 70s airline memorabilia. Often he would take Bruce, Susan, and Pam to Boston for the day to see Uncle Jim and Aunt Joanie, have lunch at the No Name pub, see a Red Sox game, and fly back! Not many people can say they watched the Moon Landing at the Goddard Space Center with NASA, but Bruce did, because NASA was his account with Delta.  And of course, his work with Delta is what brought him to meet his second wife, JoAnne Garito. They met in Washington, D.C. when both were working at Dulles Airport, Bruce for Delta and JoAnne for Air Canada. JoAnne laughs remembering how Bruce stood her up for their first date—he had written it down for the wrong day in his calendar! With his charm he got a second chance, and JoAnne can’t imagine what her life would have been like if she hadn’t met him for dinner that night.  Bruce and JoAnne were married September 2, 1984, and just recently celebrated 35 years together. Their daughter, Lauren Michele Davidson, was born May 25, 1987. Although Bruce no longer worked for Delta, there was no lack of excitement and fun for Lauren. Her best memories with him are of him teaching her how to swing a bat at Welleby Park, going to Big Foot’s Arcade for Double Sundays (when $20 bought you $40 worth of tokens), and walking on the beach together collecting shells in the early mornings on weekends. He would take her down to the Aruba Cafe on Ft. Lauderdale beach and they’d split a Belgian Waffle before walking down to the shore.  Although he loved all sports, his love of Baseball was unrivaled. The Boston Red Sox were a source of joy and heartache his entire life, as they have been for the entire Davidson family. When they “broke the curse” and won the World Series in 2004 for the first time since 1918, it was one of the most incredible moments of his life. His daughter Lauren was with him, and will never forget the tears streaming down his face as he yelled “We did it, Jim! We really did it!” to his brother up in Heaven.  His son, Bruce Jr., loved going to Washington Senators games with him (before they were the Nationals), where they would sit right down by the dugout during the era when his baseball hero Ted Williams was managing the team. After moving to South Florida, Bruce also adopted the Marlins as his second team. He was in New York City for JoAnne’s niece’s wedding when the Marlins beat the Yankees to win the World Series in 2003, and kept leaving the wedding to run across the street to a bar to watch the game! Bruce, JoAnne, and Lauren ended up being in the very same hotel that the Marlins were staying in, and met the whole team the following morning—even getting Miguel Cabrera’s autograph on the front page of the New York Times.  Bruce was not religious, yet he understood that God was love. Once his daughter Lauren asked him, when she was 8 or 9 years old, why he didn’t come to church with her and her Mom on Sundays. He told her that he didn’t have all the answers, but he knew that Jesus was a good man who preached about loving thy neighbor and treating people the way you wanted to be treated, and that he couldn’t think of a better person to try to live like. Bruce didn’t need the fear of God to be a good man, he was a good man because it was the only way he knew how to be.  Bruce was a truly one-of-a-kind person, whose kindness and generosity made an impression on everyone he met. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him, yet he left everyone with a lifetime of happy memories to cherish forever. He left behind a big, beautiful family. His Wife, JoAnne Garito Davidson; His Children and their Spouses: Bruce Robert Davidson, Jr. & Kellie Davidson; Susan Davidson Reinsberg & William Reinsberg; Pamela Davidson Wilson & Thomas Wilson; and Lauren Michele Davidson & Richard Ibarra; His Grandchildren: Katie Reinsberg Fuller, Robert Reinsberg, Rachel Davidson, and Michael Davidson; His Sister, Carol Davidson Showalter, and His Brothers and Sisters-in-Law, Steven & Linda Davidson, and Brian & Christine Davidson. Bruce loved all of his cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends like they were his closest family. He treasured every moment spent together and every memory made.  Bruce’s service was held Sunday, November 2, 2019. In true Bruce fashion, he had every detail from the music to the food he wanted planned. It was a beautiful service filled with people who loved Bruce, sharing stories and making new connections over their bond with him. It was exactly what he wanted. Thank you Bruce, thank you Dad, thank you Grandpa, for being exactly the man we needed. You were deeply loved and will be missed every day.