On Wednesday January 27, 2021, Paul Christopher Davis -- loving son, brother, partner, stepfather, and friend -- passed away at age 54. He was a resident of Saratoga, CA at the time of his death, and was a Bay Area man through and through.

Paul was born on June 8, 1966 in Richmond, CA. He graduated valedictorian from John Swett High School (1984) in Crockett, CA and went on to earn a bachelor's (1989) and master's degree (1992) in Aeronautical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. There he made lifelong friends. Paul was a true and loyal friend and loved his annual "houseboat trip" to Lake Mead – 28 years running. In the early years, Paul enjoyed brewing beer with his friends as a pre-trip ritual, to share with the houseboat guys (Kris, Larry, John, Mike, Lance, and Ken). Though this trip occurred only once a year, their text message group was always active and a source of joy for Paul – even when he 'complained' about having to catch up on 150+ missed messages in a one-hour period. Paul thought of them as family and as his brothers.

Paul was a loving and caring son. He greatly enjoyed his weekly phone calls with his mother and looked forward to her visits; which always included enjoying a glass of fine wine over a shared meal, good conversation, and excursions together to nearby towns. He shared a lifelong bond with his favorite sister that transcended the distance that separated them. He was always the patient big brother and accomplice who bent over backwards to make her happy. He even accepted "a brother from another mother" when she married her husband. He was the "Fun Uncle" to a nephew and two nieces in Tennessee. He had an ongoing, multi-year long "You're It" game with his niece and earned the title of "Best Gift Giver" every Christmas.

On October 7, 2005, Paul met Linda Caponera Capek at CB Hannegan's, which was hosting a Saratoga High School reunion. Neither Paul or Linda had graduated from SHS. Linda gave Paul her number on a bar napkin, which Paul safely kept in a Ziploc bag for over 15 years until his passing. They lived a lot of life together and loved each other deeply in those years. After meeting Linda, Paul quickly adapted to a household with four children. He was a regular spectator and fan at team sporting events; a worthy competitor in family game nights; a confidant with a listening ear; a caretaker in injury and sickness; a person to share big belly laughs and happiness with. He would rather teach you to do something than just do it for you. He instilled courage and strength in his stepchildren to find their own path. Paul was a partner in raising children, especially when it came time to find out who had left the upstairs lights on or who forgot to close the garage door. He was so excited to become GrandPAUL. He was there for the big moments and the small ones too. Paul was a partner and Dad in all the ways that mattered.

Paul started his career as a young software developer for NASA Ames Research Center and continued his career in the airspace technology and software industry. He wrote software and managed teams on innovative state of the art projects in aeronautics for NASA, FAA, USDA, CalFire, and private companies like General Electric. Some of his projects included leading and contributing to the development of a real-time simulator of future air traffic control concepts, a fast-time National Airspace System simulator, a real-time decision support tool for en-route controllers, conceptual design software for supersonic aircraft and a general aviation information management system that was sold and used by CalFire to help fight fires. Most recently, he was helping to develop an air traffic control system to support future urban air mobility operations that included flying cars. He jointly held 6 patents and was awarded a number of NASA Group Achievement Awards throughout his career.  His colleagues at NASA Ames, Sterling Software, Seagull Technology Center, Sensis Corporation, SAAB, and ATCorp knew Paul as humble, kind, and as a compassionate manager and co-worker. Paul was professional and fun – he never missed an opportunity to dress up for Halloween and celebrate with coworkers at a company picnic or holiday party.

Although Paul ventured out of California for work and travel, he believed there was no better place to live. He tried his hand at living in Oregon, but couldn't stay away for long. Paul was a long time Raiders, A's and Warriors fan, and spent many years going to the stadiums and watching on TV. He loved being outdoors: hiking, snowboarding, gardening, traveling, and anything related to space, constellations, and the sky. Paul's passion for space was on full display when he planned a trip for his California and Tennessee families to witness the 2017 total solar eclipse in Knoxville, TN, two full years in advance. Anytime there was a unique space anomaly or historical event, Paul's family and friends could expect a text with a reminder and an article detailing the best way to see and learn all about it.

Paul was an environmentalist, well before things like composting, recycling, and home gardens were cool.  He had a wide range of knowledge and talent about everything from beer making and wine tasting, to the stock market, or the best wood chips for his Traeger. He loved to read historical biographies and novels. Thanks to his grandparents, Paul had a love of board games and a competitive spirit; he was unbeatable at trivia and always full of random factoids. Paul loved hosting friends, neighbors, and family by the pool in the summer with a homecooked meal, including the infamous Rivera family salsa and specialty margaritas (Kirkland). He was a man of few words, and loved a good joke, speaking in "subtle sarcasm" fluently.

Paul had a special way and love for animals especially his dogs: Tucker, Whimsey, and Mocha, and cats: Cocoa, and Chai. Paul loved his morning routine, and it could not be interrupted despite the kids and pet's best efforts. He was always listening to NPR, enjoying a cup of freshly ground and brewed coffee, and eating his fresh berry and Greek yogurt breakfast while reading the Mercury News.

Paul had an affinity for making the best road trip CDs, which his family enjoyed on countless long drives to Tahoe, the Grand Canyon, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon, and many other places. After many years of constant pressure, "the kids" finally convinced Paul that country music was worth including on his curated road trip CDs. Paul showed his love for family and friends in little ways like this, spending the time to really think about the person – their personality, interests, and exactly what they needed to hear at that moment. Paul valued time spent together. He enjoyed family gatherings, meals, and new experiences.  He was intentional with his time and words and would rather teach you to do something than just do it for you. He was loved and valued by his family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. He had his quirks – which we loved him all the more for.

In all actuality, Paul can't be adequately summarized in a few short paragraphs. Even J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, and Ken Burns would have trouble summarizing Paul's life into a series of books or a docuseries, although we're sure Paul would have loved for them to try. His experiences, laugh, and smile, his love of life, animals, and people, his passions, hopes, and dreams, along with our memories of Paul and the way he made us feel -- there aren't words in the English language to capture that. He had a profound impact on our lives. He will continue to live on in our stories and memories of him.

Paul was preceded in death by his father John Conlin Davis, paternal grandparents, James and Jessie May Davis, and maternal grandfather, Nicandro Rivera. Paul is survived by his beloved mother Dianne Davis; his grandmother Abigail Rivera; his sister Crystal Deinhart, her husband John, and their three children Jack, Lily, and Molly; Aunts and Uncles, and numerous cousins; his life partner Linda Caponera Capek and stepchildren Alli, Andy (Morgan), Leah and Tony, and grandchild, Chase.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of these organizations selected to reflect Paul's love of hiking, his thoughtfulness for preserving the environment, and his love of the California Bay Area: click the name to be directed to the web pages.

• Save the SF Bay: https://savesfbay.org
• Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST): https://openspacetrust.org
• NPR affiliate KQED: https://www.kqed.org/radio

A memorial service will be held for Paul at a later date to allow his family and friends to gather to celebrate the life of a great man.