William Michael Davis

William Michael Davis,75, passed away peacefully at his home with his family by his side on Sunday, June 7, 2026. “Bill” was born April 25, 1951, and is survived by his wife, Kathleen McFadden Davis.

Bill and Kathleen were married for 52 years. They met as teenagers in Ocean City, NJ, a vacation destination they continued to visit every summer. A father to three children, Bill is survived by his son, William Davis and daughter-in-law Kristen Davis, and daughter, Korin Davis and son-in-law Michael Daniels. Bill is pre-deceased by his daughter Krysta Davis, whose death as a child brought the family closer together and only intensified his motivation to be an engaged and loving father. Bill is also survived by seven grandchildren: Naomi Fecher Davis, Aiden Davis-Diaz, Kaleya Davis-Diaz, Conor Davis, Cora Davis, Amos Daniels, and Faye Daniels.

Bill adored the role of grandfather, particularly the ability to say yes to every whim and then send them home to their parents. With a song, a quip or silly name for everything, Bill’s grandchildren relished his playful use of language and have happily inherited a Davis vocabulary all their own. Bill grew up in Westbrook Park with father William McConnell Davis (1914-1999), mother Dorothy Marie Davis (nee O’Brien) (1914-2002), and sister Lynne Anne Kloss. Bill was a devoted son and cared deeply for his parents, visiting twice weekly his whole adult life. This shaped his children’s understanding of family and they work to live up to his example every day.

As an elementary school student Bill lived briefly in Richmond, VA and was struck by the segregation of the South in the early 1960s. These were the seeds that grew into a lifelong commitment to social justice. Further motivated by his understanding of the repression of his Irish ancestors, Bill was drawn to the civil rights movement as a high school student and chose to study political science at Villanova University. As a young man he worked as an aide for U.S. Representative Bob Edgar and later ran for State Representative himself. While his run was unsuccessful, he remained politically engaged throughout his life.

In 2007, he authored an educational biography of President Barack Obama for secondary school students, “Barack Obama: The Politics of Hope.” Bill became more actively engaged in local politics after retirement. In 2021 he was elected to a four-year term as Minority Inspector of Elections of New Britain Township, a critical role in ensuring election integrity. He was re-elected, this time as Majority Inspector, in November 2025.

Among his proudest roles was that of coach. What began as simply volunteering to coach his son’s knee-high basketball team became a lifelong passion. Bill held coaching positions at his alma mater, Upper Darby High School, as well as Springfield High School and Central Bucks West. He was proud of his career record, 369 wins and 115 loses. He had a deep knowledge of the game but was also dedicated to helping athletes build fundamental skills. In 1996 he produced a video with his trademarked practice routine, “The Daily Basketball Drill.” But his commitment to his players went beyond teaching them the game. He instilled in them respect for themselves and their opponents, insisted on hard work and hustle, and understood the lifelong effect a coach can have as an example and mentor. This is evidenced by the numerous letters from players and parents, some sent decades later, thanking him for the perspective he lent their lives.

Bill will also be remembered for the things he enjoyed, notably his vegetable garden, fishing and crabbing, all things Philadelphia sports, especially the Fightin’ Phils and Villanova basketball, meteorology, chopping wood and burning fires on a cold night (or even a slightly chilly one), a cold beer, a day on the beach, music of many varieties, a well told story, and a good laugh.

Family and friends are invited to attend Bill’s viewing on Friday, June 12, 2026 at St. Christopher Parish 13301 Proctor Road, Philadelphia, PA 19116 from 9:15-10:15am. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30am. Interment to follow at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery, in Springfield Township, PA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Leveling the Playing Field. Donations may be made in honor of Coach Bill Davis and will support access to sports for underserved youth in Delaware County, PA.