Theodore Davi

Theodore S. J. Davi, Ph.D. of Greensburg, died on Thursday, April 8, 2021. He was born October 5, 1936 in New York City and was the son of the late Josephine Tripoli Davi and Salvatore Davi. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he served as High-Priest Group Leader and in a number of Boy Scout and church positions. He was a past curator and historian of Arthur St. Clair Library at the Greensburg Masonic Center. He was a past Master of Philanthropy Lodge 225 F. &A.M. of Greensburg and a dual member of Alexander C. Garrett Lodge 1216 A.F.&A.M. of Dallas, TX. He was also a Fellow of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) and founding president of the Green Bay, Wisconsin Post and past president of the Pittsburgh Post of SAME. He was founding president of the Society of Marketing Professional in Wisconsin and former president of the Pittsburgh Chapter. Dr. Davi was founder and chairman of the New Jersey World Trade Committee today known as he New Jersey World Trade Council where he served several governors in New Jersey. As a member of the Boy Scouts of America since 1947, he held volunteer scouting positions in New York City; Ramsey and West Caldwell, New Jersey; Churchill, PA; Green Bay, WI; Dallas, TX; and Greensburg, PA. In 2010, Dr. Davi was appointed as Chairman of the National Science Careers Exploring Committee. Dr. Davi was also founder, chairman, and explorer advisor of Engineering and Science Academy (Post 2000) for ten years under the umbrella of Learning for Life and Exploring, in the Westmoreland-Fayette Council. He was awarded the Silver Beaver Award (2002); the William H. Spurgeon III Award (October 2000); and the Daniel Beard Award (2002), among others for his services. He was also Chairman and CEO of GAMBIT Interactive Corporation of Pennsylvania. His firm was the 'consultant of record' for General Purpose, Foreign-Trade Zones #FTZ-254, North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission; #FTZ-167, Brown County (Green Bay and the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin); and #FTZ-23G, located on Grand Island, Erie County, New York.

Dr. Davi was trained in archaeology through the Neville Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin where he participated in resource recovery programs to find Shantytown, the oldest Yankee settlement in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He also participated in excavations in Menomineevlle at Connecticut where his team unearthed the Avery Hive that was built in 1654 and was burned to the ground in 1894 by sparks from the local railroad. This project has been on going for eight years as of 2014. In 2012 at the Heritage Reservation in Somerville, his team excavated a wagon shed from the 1870s and identified additional sites for Explorer Post 1817 of Derry, Pa to excavate. Other archaeological projects took place in Elk County, Pennsylvania and Camp Guyasuta, a Boy Scout Camp within the Greater Pittsburgh Council, Boy Scouts of America. He also serves as a Merit Badge Counselor for ten-merit badges including Archaeology, American Heritage and Indian Lore.

In 2011, Dr. Davi was recognized by the Connecticut Society of Historical Organizations (CSHO) for his many years of archaeological excavations at the former Hive of the Avery's in Groton, CT. This project was a part of a community outreach program. The Avery Memorial Association of Groton, CT nominated him for the Award of Merit, whish he received July 16, 2011. As the chairman of the Avery Memorial Association's Archaeological Committee he was also awarded a 'life membership'. Dr. Davi recieved a Distinguished Service Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics for his work on the Support Systems Technical Committee.

He was a graduate of Loyola, NYC, alumnus of Parsons  School of Design, NYC, and holds a BS, MBA and Ph.D. from California Coast University in Santa Ana, CA. He also attended Ramapo College in New Jersey taking additional courses in Business Management, Alumni of Parsons School of Design (the New School) in Industrial Design and Fordham University in New York City where he took additional studies in Education and Business Management. During the 1950s and early 1960s he completed Industrial Engineering through International Correspondence Schools, Scranton, PA. The end of a productive life.

He is survived by his loving wife, Joan Land Davi of Greensburg and his five children who live in Texas, New Jersey, and New York and his two loving stepchildren. He and his wife have a total of eleven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

There will be no services at this time. KEPPLE-GRAFT Funeral Home of Greensburg entrusted with the arrangements.  For online condolences and information, please visit www.kepplegraft.com.