Richard F. Davis, 1937-2024
Richard F. Davis, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and brother, faithful friend, and longtime teacher, rowing coach, and mentor of young people, died in Rye, N.H., surrounded by family, on July 24, 2024. He was 86 years old.
Born on October 4, 1937, in Brooklyn, N.Y., Richard was the son of Virginia Vail Davis and Charles Fletcher Davis. He grew up in New York and New Jersey and attended River Edge Junior High School and Hackensack High School. He graduated from Rutgers University with honors in 1959, served as a captain in the United States Air Force, and in 1966 earned a master’s degree from Harvard University.
On July 1, 1967, Rich married Margaret “Peg” Johnston, beginning a matrimonial love affair that lasted 57 years. They lived, worked, and raised their three children—Fletcher, Ellen, and Chip—at St. Paul’s School in Concord, N.H. In 2003, when Rich retired, he and Peg moved to the New Hampshire seacoast where they had first met when Rich was serving in the Strategic Air Command at Portsmouth’s Pease Air Force Base.
For 37 years, Rich taught, coached, and served in loco parentis to thousands of students at St. Paul’s School. He created numerous courses, chaired the history department, and coached hundreds of rowers on Turkey Pond, 10 of whom went on to row in the Olympics. Rich received many coaching awards, including “Rings of Gold” from The United States Olympic Committee in 2000.
While reviewing race strategy with a crew competing at Henley Royal Regatta, Coach Davis was asked by an athlete what they should do if anything went wrong during the race. His legendary reply: “Pull harder!” For 31 years, Rich shared his rowing wisdom as a contributor and board member of Rowing News, a magazine launched by his son, Chip.
At St. Paul’s, Rich counseled grieving students who had lost a parent. In retirement, he continued his service to youth in similar situations through the Hope Project, based in Kittery, Maine.
Rich was a kind and beloved member of many communities. He served as an overseer of Portsmouth’s outdoor history museum, Strawberry Banke; worked with the Rye Historical Society; and volunteered at St. John’s Church, where a conversation with the Rev. Tim Rich about the educational needs of the region led to the founding of Seacoast Academy, a private middle school now called Heronfield Academy.
A loving husband, father, brother, and son, Rich is survived by his wife Peg, son J. Fletcher Davis, daughter Ellen Parish (Dan), son Chip Davis (Alison), brother Walton Davis (Fran Drago), and four grandchildren—Margaret, Ian, Ella, and Charlie.
A funeral service will be held at St. John’s Church in Portsmouth, N.H. at 10:00 a.m. on August 19, 2024.
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