Obituary of Kevin Davis

Kevin Michael Davis passed away Friday, July 23, 2010, at Vassar Brothers Medical Center at the age of twenty-eight, after an illness that brought a sudden end to his young life. He was a resident of Rhinebeck, NY, and formerly Wisconsin. Kevin was born February 16, 1982, in Baraboo, Wisconsin, son of Tom and Ethel Davis. He was raised in Shawano, Wisconsin, and later attended the University of Minnesota Duluth and then Northland College. Kevin's passion was always for life and design. He was a skilled web designer and by the age of sixteen had already received seventeen awards for his design. Many more awards and publications of Kevin's work were to follow as he evolved his art form. He believed that web design, when done well, is a fine art. His intelligence and creativity brought his life and artistry to every project that had his skilled attention. Kevin also had many other interests that occupied his deep need to learn more. He constantly studied new subjects, reading endlessly on the many topics of interest to him: politics, social ecology, sustainability, urban planning and new urbanism, green spaces, architecture, activism, and human rights, just to name a few. Additionally, he kept himself aware of every nuance of change in his own field of work, something his colleagues admired greatly and always benefited from. Kevin was also an accomplished photographer and poet, and had begun writing a first novel with plans for a second. When Kevin moved to Poughkeepsie in 2006 to start a new job at Vassar College, he was immediately taken with the region and especially its premier city. New York City fascinated Kevin and it became a new passion and the subject of many photographs. During his time at Vassar, he designed and built dozens of the college's websites, both large and small. His professional abilities and generous spirit were much respected by all who worked with him. If you wish to see a sampling of Kevin's beautiful work, please feel free to visit his personal web site: alazanto.org Kevin met his committed partner and love, Tamar M. Thibodeau while working at Vassar College. In each other they found happiness, and together they explored the world. Kevin's compassion, love, and respect for all those around him were unmatched and he will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to have met this beautiful soul. Kevin is survived by his parents who reside in New Mexico, and his two sisters, Mary Wood, and Sonja Bingen, who reside in Wisconsin, as well as his partner, Tamar Thibodeau. He is also survived by his first friend upon moving to Poughkeepsie, Leo, a kitten he rescued from the engine of a car. Leo held on to Kevin with all his strength four years ago and never let go. Memorial contributions can be made to the ASPCA at: www.aspca.org/donate/ A commemorative gathering is planned for Friday, August 6, from 3:30pm - 5:30pm at Vassar's Alumnae/ House.