Obituary of Leslie Davie

Leslie Davie of Rockaway Township died on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 (12/13/14), in Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morristown after a long illness. He was 76. Mr. Davie was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and immigrated to America in 1967. He lived in Newtown, Conn., before moving to Rockaway Borough in 1969 and then Rockaway Township in 1972. He also maintained a home in Edinburgh. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Edinburgh University and worked at Brown Brothers there before moving to America. In the United States, Mr. Davie first worked in manufacturing management. His wife, Elizabeth, always said, "If somebody doesn't like your father, there's something wrong with them." He loved "a good laugh and a carry-on," as they say in Scotland. A colleague noting how much he enjoyed people and his engineering knowledge told him he would be a great salesman. He then started what would become a highly successful sales career in the semiconductor industry. He worked for Applied Materials, a San Jose, Calif., based company, and became a sales executive responsible for North America and European operations. Mr. Davie then joined GaSonics, also based in San Jose, Calif., and was an integral part of the company's growth. He was head of North American and European operations and started the company's move into Asia before returning to Applied Materials. He retired in 2003. Mr. Davie had a lifelong love of sports as both a participant and supporter, particularly enjoying the opportunity to spend time with family and friends while doing both. He played semi-professional soccer in Scotland as a young man and enjoyed bowling with his wife, friends and family members in leagues at Rockaway Lanes in Rockaway and Dover Lanes in Dover. He played golf throughout his life, taking it up more seriously in his later years. He was a member of the Panther Valley Golf and Country Club in Allamuchy for more than 20 years and won numerous club tournaments. He also was a member of Laughlin's Legends, a group of retired members who played together a couple of times a week. He also played when he traveled for work and on trips back to Scotland, where he played rounds on world-famous courses including Saint Andrews. As a spectator, he was a supporter of the Heart of Midlothian Football Club based in the Gorgie section of Edinburgh where he grew up. In America, he thoroughly enjoyed basketball and was a referee for many years. He started by working Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) games, and moved on to referee at the high school level, including county and state tournament games. He attended local school games and watched college and NBA basketball on television. He decided to get season tickets to the Nets in 1996 when John Calipari took over as coach because he thought it would be "interesting." He maintained the tickets until the team moved to Brooklyn, NY, in 2012. He also enjoyed baseball, taking his daughters to the old Shea Stadium for Mets games. His middle daughter, Alice, became a diehard fan of the Yankees in her teens. He took her to the game when she won the lottery for tickets to Game 3 of the 1978 American League Championship Series. They were among a crowd of more than 55,000 when the Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5. The exciting game included three home runs by Royal George Brett and homers from Yankees Reggie Jackson and Thurman Munson in support of pitchers Catfish Hunter and Goose Gossage. The Yankees went on to win the World Series. He also was a New York Giants fan and framed an autograph that wide receiver Stacy Robinson inscribed to "Les Davie, my Number One Scottish fan." Mr. Davie was the youngest of eight children, three of whom moved to North America before he, his wife and two oldest children did so. Once here, he enjoyed driving to visit them. His oldest brother, Robert and his family lived in North Palm Beach, Fla., his sister, Helen and her family, lived in Ottawa, Canada and another brother, James, and his family lived in Green Bay, Wis. When relatives visited the Davies in New Jersey, Mr. Davie had his own unofficial New York City tour on a budget. Visitors and family would be loaded into the car, for many years a 1972 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon, and driven to the Port Authority in Manhattan. The group would take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry - a bargain at 25 cents a head - because it was a way to pass the Statue of Liberty. Lunch was hot dogs at Nathan's Famous and often, there was a trip to either the observation deck of the Twin Towers or the Empire State building and a walk around the city. He loved American cars. His first was a red 1966 Ford Mustang. He bought a 1971 Ford Bronco, red with a white top, which is still in mint condition. He would also drive his wife's Cadillacs and in recent years, purchased black Lincoln Town Cars. As much as he doted on his grandchildren, he insisted they all remove their shoes when riding in the back of his Lincolns in car seats because he did not want the back of his seats dirtied. He was a parishioner at Sacred Heart Church in Rockaway for many years and later Saint Cecilia's Church, also in Rockaway. Mr. Davie is survived by his wife of 55 years Elizabeth (O'Neill), three daughters and their families; Audrey Risberg of Rockaway Township, her husband, James, and daughter, Amanda; Alice Burnett, her husband, Robert, of Long Beach Island, and three grown daughters, Laura Foley, Lucie Zvaleuskas and Leah Zvaleuskas; and Anne Mucci of Mountain Lakes, her husband, Ronnie, and sons Ronald, Joseph and Michael. He also has relatives in Scotland, Wisconsin and Canada. Arrangements are private with Codey and Mackey Funeral Home, Essex Street, Boonton. To share a memory or extend condolences, please visit www.codeymackeyfh.com.