Robert L. Davis

Bob Davis, 71, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

A devoted husband, father, and friend, Bob was known for his sharp mind, quick wit and tennis skills. He had an incredible dry sense of humor that could light up a room. Whether through a perfectly timed joke or clever remark, he never missed an opportunity to make those around him laugh. Beyond his sense of humor, Bob was a steady, level headed presence - always logical, thoughtful and ready with sound advice. Whether it was a complex legal issue, or a simple life dilemma, he had a way of cutting through the noise and offering guidance that just made sense.

Bob graduated from McDaniel College in 1975, and earned his law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1978, going on to have a successful career as an attorney.

During the first 10 years of his career, Bob joined the Office of General Counsel for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in the U.S. Treasury Department. He held several positions in his time there, including Assistant Director of the Enforcement and Compliance Division as well as Acting Director of the Bank Organization and Structure Division.

Over the next 25 years, Bob served as a member of the executive management teams and General Counsel of 3 different bank holding companies: James Madison Ltd. (Madison National Bank, Washington, D.C.); Provident BankShares Corporation (Provident Bank, Baltimore, MD); and First Financial Holdings, Inc. (First Federal Bank of Charleston, SC). He was instrumental in the merger of First Federal Bank and South Carolina Bank and Trust to form South State Bank, South Carolina’s largest bank, and retired in 2013.

In 2016, Bob came out of retirement to accept the honor of an appointment to serve as South Carolina’s Commissioner of Banking. He led that Agency through the milestone of its first national accreditation as well as its chartering of Beacon Community Bank, the first newly-chartered bank in South Carolina following the financial crisis in 2018 and one of the first new charters at that time in the United States. He completed his appointment in 2019.

Bob continued to perform consulting work for the Conference of State Bank Supervisors in Washington, D.C., until April of 2024, when he ceased due to health concerns.

Beyond law, he had a deep love for music, particularly classical guitar. A self-taught musician from his teenage years, he played in bands with friends before refining his craft at The Peabody Institute in Baltimore during law school. In retirement, he found joy in sharing his music, performing in restaurants and wine bars in the Charleston area. In 2020 during Covid, he lifted spirits by playing nearly 30 concerts from the balcony of his home, filling the streets with music when the world felt quiet.

An avid sailor in his younger years, he traded boating for golf and tennis in retirement.

Bob met the love of his life, Vikki, in 1980, and they married the following year. Together they built a life full of love, raising two daughters, Tierney and Victoria. Bob and Vikki shared a passion for travel and adventure, exploring the world together and making memories in new places near and far. Whether on a catamaran in Greece, a bicycle in the Netherlands or aboard their motorhome in a national park, they cherished every journey side-by-side, often accompanied by their dog, Sango.

Bob was preceded in death by his mother and father, Marshall and Shirley Davis.

A celebration of life ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025 in J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel, 1494 Mathis Ferry Rd at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO), www.eccocharleston.org

Bob’s legacy of hard work, humor and wisdom will be remembered by all who knew him. His favorite piece of wisdom, often delivered with a smile, was simple, yet effective: “Don’t do anything boneheaded.”