Andrew Bradley Davis

Andrew B. Davis was a loving son, brother, friend, and boyfriend. He was a voracious learner with a wicked sense of humor. Few could keep up with his intellectual prowess. He never shied away from controversy and always enjoyed a good academic debate, no matter the topic. For those who knew him, he had a huge heart despite his struggles with addiction. He ultimately fell victim to the fentanyl epidemic ravaging our nation. He is deeply missed and will always have a place in our hearts and minds. We love you, Andrew.

Andrew was born to Neil and Christine Davis in sunny Pensacola, Florida, on January 13, 1984. It was a Friday the 13th. He lived a lonely life until his world changed forever, for the better, in September 1985 when he was greeted by his younger and equally good-looking brother, Ryan. Being raised in a Navy family, he moved often in his early years, getting to claim homes in Florida, Guam, San Diego, Bayonne NJ (we try to forget this one), and finally North Carolina.

The family moved to Emerald Isle, NC, where Neil retired from the Navy in 1994. With Andrew spending most of his formative years in the southern Outer Banks of North Carolina, it imprinted on him a lifelong love of the outdoors and the ocean. In NC, he was able to create lasting memories with his paternal grandparents, aunt and uncle, and cousins who all lived close by. And we have countless memories driving I-95 in a minivan to visit our maternal family all up and down the east coast, but primarily in Philadelphia and Maine.

Through his elementary and middle school years, he was a noteworthy soccer player, talented musician, and exceptional student. He played percussion in high school, marching snare drum with some of his closest friends. He advanced quickly in mathematics and stood out as a master of calculus, scoring top marks on his AP tests. One of his best memories from his high school years was his trip to Ireland with Christine to visit distant family and explore his Irish heritage. He graduated from Croatan High School in 2002.

Following in his father’s footsteps, he began his undergraduate experience at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Go Tar Heels! He was joined by Ryan the following year. In 2007, he put his academic pursuits on hold and joined the US Navy, not all that different than Neil had done 30 years prior (come on, Andrew, where’s the originality!). He admirably served his country for 4+ years, coming away with several unlikely stories, including a sharpshooter award, several achievement medals, fighting pirates off the Somali coast, and ultimately an honorable discharge in 2011. After the Navy, Andrew returned to Chapel Hill to complete his undergraduate degree and graduated from UNC with a degree in Computer Science in 2017.

Andrew moved to Seattle in 2019, where he continued his computer science pursuits and enjoyed the geography of the Pacific Northwest. He often explored the city on his bike and found great joy in the eccentricities of Seattle. During his time there, he met Ciara, who became his long-term girlfriend. Coincidently, he too met and fell in love with an Irish woman, just like his father.

Our last memories of Andrew are incredible. Andrew was able to visit his family, who all currently reside in Salt Lake City, in January 2024 to celebrate his 40th birthday. It was easily one of the best family visits we have ever had. Many of the pictures shared here are from that visit. We lost Andrew about one week after his visit. Like all of us, his life was filled with trials and tribulations, but also many celebrations. We are eternally grateful for the time we had with Andrew and the positive impact he had on our lives.

Andrew is survived by parents, Neil and Chris, brother Ryan, sister-in-law Erin, nephew Griffin, all of Salt Lake City, and girlfriend Ciara Pickley, of Seattle. He is also survived by his grandfather, Jack Bradley of Ambler, PA, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

He was deeply loved and will be forever missed.

Note from his brother:

I miss my brother deeply – it’s truly hard to convey how much I miss him. I literally knew him my entire life. Being a younger brother, you grow up admiring and constantly trying to keep up with your older brother. We shared a bond like no other. It’s no secret that he and I had periods of distance, but in the last few years we had become exceptionally close. Even though I had known him for 35 years at the time, he surprised me by how much he loved being an uncle. He absolutely adored his nephew, Griffin, and neph-dog, Mochi. He was beyond excited to know he was soon to be welcoming a niece. Seeing him interact with his nephew are some of the most beautiful memories I have of my brother. I will always miss his random texts on some obscure topic, our online chess matches, and his seemingly endless knowledge of world history and politics. I don’t know if anyone has made or will make me laugh as much as he did. I am a better person because of him, and I hope those who knew him feel the same. With love, Ryan.