Kirk Davis

The Man on Shell Walk

Kirk Davis and Patricia “Patty” R. Davis — long-time residents of Lonelyville, Fire Island, NY. Kirk carried what neighbors described as “old sea captain energy” — a fisherman who took local kids out on the water. He chose a life on the edge of the continent, on a roadless island reachable only by ferry, where boardwalks are the arteries and the ocean is the front yard.

Patty worked at UMDNJ (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, now Rutgers) according to a former colleague, Kimberly Johnson, who left condolences. This places her professional life in the Newark/Elizabeth, NJ corridor.

Kirk also surfaces in Fire Island fishing circles — commenting on Captain Joe Tangel’s “King Cod VII” blackfish trips out of Fire Island Inlet, and submitting public comments to the ASMFC (Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission) and MAFMC (Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council) on summer flounder and black sea bass regulations — as recently as January 15, 2026, six days before his death. A man who knew the water and cared about the fishery.

❌ RESOLVED: Fire Island Kirk Davis is NOT J. Kirk Davis (Medal of Honor Son)

A previous version of this document identified the Fire Island Kirk Davis as J. Kirk Davis (Joseph Kirk Davis), the son of Colonel Charles Willis Davis, Medal of Honor recipient. This was based on a misreading of a 1991 Congressional Record entry. This identification is wrong.

Definitive proof: J. Kirk Davis was alive and posting on Facebook on January 26, 2026 — commenting on the Redlands Hotel in Palestine, Texas — 17 days after the Fire Island Kirk Davis died on January 9, 2026. They are two different people.

The Congressional Record entry (GPO-CRECB-1991-pt3, February 21, 1991) is a tribute to Colonel Charles Willis Davis who died January 18, 1991 in San Francisco. It has nothing to do with Fire Island. The original claim about “1987 at the Fire Island National Seashore” has no basis in the Congressional Record.

Who is the Fire Island Kirk Davis? His identity remains largely unknown. No obituary was published. No condolences were left online. No family members came forward publicly. The man who lived on Shell Walk for decades, who fished the waters around Fire Island Inlet, who fought to protect summer flounder and black sea bass stocks through his final days — left almost no trace.

Appendix: J. Kirk Davis (Medal of Honor Son) — Separate Person, Documented for Reference

The following dossier on J. Kirk Davis, son of Colonel Charles Willis Davis, was compiled during the investigation and is retained here for reference. He is NOT the Kirk Davis of Fire Island.

The Father: Colonel Charles Willis Davis (1917–1991)

Born: February 21, 1917, Gordo, Alabama (small town in west-central Alabama) Died: January 18, 1991, San Francisco, California (age 73) Buried: Arlington National Cemetery

Parents

• Father: Gilbert Eugene Davis (June 28, 1883 – 1964), Fayette County / Gordo, Pickens County, Alabama
• Mother: Leona Pugh (1887 – 1970), married June 15, 1908
• The Davis family descends from John Hawkins Davis of Fayette County, Alabama, connected to the Wimberly family of Bertie County, North Carolina

Siblings

• Frances Lee Davis Downing (1910–2004) — married George Harold Downing Sr. (1910–1970)
• Gilbert Eugene Davis Jr. (1912–1976)
• LTC Emmett Stillman Davis (1921–2006) — also a career Army officer (Lieutenant Colonel); funeral at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Montgomery, AL, March 25, 2006; buried Greenwood Cemetery, Montgomery

Early Life

• Exhibited great athleticism in high school
• University of Alabama — baseball team pitcher, completed a year of law school
• Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in Infantry through US Army ROTC
• Trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, then transferred to Fort Sam Houston, Texas
• Married Gertrude Joan Kirk at Fort Sam Houston on May 28, 1941 (marriage license: Bexar County, Texas; wedding announcement: Montgomery Advertiser, June 10, 1941)
• Army enlistment date: July 5, 1940

Pearl Harbor — December 7, 1941

• Stationed at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii with the recently activated 25th Infantry Division
• Joan was pregnant. During the Japanese attack, Charles manned a defensive position on the perimeter. Joan ran outside, was forced to take cover under fire.
• Joan gave birth to daughter Carol the very next day — December 8, 1941 — as news of the US declaration of war reached them.

Guadalcanal — The Battle of the Galloping Horse (January 12–13, 1943)

• Executive Officer, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, under Brigadier General Joseph Lawton “Lightning Joe” Collins
• Landed on Guadalcanal December 17, 1942. Relieved Marines protecting Henderson Field.
• Ordered to seize a ridge line named “Galloping Horse” near the Matanikau River
• January 12: Volunteered to carry instructions to companies trapped by Japanese crossfire. Made his way through, delivered orders, stayed overnight in the exposed position.
• January 13: Volunteered to lead an assault on the Japanese position holding up the advance. Led four men crawling to within 10 yards of enemy positions. Japanese threw two grenades — both failed to explode. Davis and his men threw eight grenades back, destroying several positions.
• Then Davis stood up. While shooting his rifle (which jammed — he drew his pistol), he waved his men forward with his other hand as he advanced onto the knoll. Silhouetted against the sky, visible to Americans all up and down the ridge.
• “Electrified by this action, another body of soldiers followed and seized the hill.”
• The Americans counted 170 Japanese dead on and around the Galloping Horse. American losses: fewer than 100.
• A young lieutenant, severely wounded by a Japanese mortar round, died in Davis’s arms during the battle.

The Medal of Honor Citation

“For distinguishing himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy on Guadalcanal Island. On 12 January 1943, Maj. Davis (then Capt.), executive officer of an infantry battalion, volunteered to carry instructions to the leading companies of his battalion which had been caught in crossfire from Japanese machine guns. With complete disregard for his own safety, he made his way to the trapped units, delivered the instructions, supervised their execution, and remained overnight in this exposed position. On the following day, Maj. Davis again volunteered to lead an assault on the Japanese position which was holding up the advance. When his rifle jammed at its first shot, he drew his pistol and, waving his men on, led the assault over the top of the hill. Electrified by this action, another body of soldiers followed and seized the hill. The capture of this position broke Japanese resistance and the battalion was then able to proceed and secure the corps’ objective. The courage and leadership displayed by Maj. Davis inspired the entire battalion and unquestionably led to the success of its attack.”

• Promoted to Major. Received the Medal of Honor on July 17, 1943.

Literary Immortality

James Jones wrote The Thin Red Line based on his experiences at Guadalcanal as a member of the 27th Infantry Regiment. In the novel, Captain John Gaff — the officer who leads the assault on the Japanese strongpoint — is based on Charles Willis Davis.

The “Failed Test” — Fort Leavenworth (1943)

After Guadalcanal, Davis was sent to the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. During a tactical exam, the class was given a hypothetical problem based on the exact battle Davis had fought at Guadalcanal. Davis wrote down the tactics he actually used to win the battle. He reportedly failed that section of the exam. The school’s “approved solution” was a flanking maneuver, whereas Davis’s successful real-life solution was a frontal assault. The school’s logic was that the Medal of Honor is awarded for bravery that goes beyond standard tactical doctrine — meaning his solution was “heroic but tactically incorrect.” The story circulated widely in military circles for decades.

Career After Guadalcanal

• Served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War — 32 years total in the United States Army
• Rose to the rank of Colonel
• Served as Airborne Regimental Commander
• Held important positions on the Army Staff
• Received numerous additional awards and decorations
• Retired from the Army in 1972
• Served as President of the Medal of Honor Society for two terms
• A historical marker was placed in his honor in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama (2007)
• Inducted into the Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame (2010)

Death

• Died January 18, 1991 in San Francisco, California
• Buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia
• New York Times obituary (January 29, 1991): “Charles W. Davis; Medal of Honor Winner, 73”
• Congressional Record (February 21, 1991): A member of Congress entered a tribute reading: “To his children, Carol Denier and Kirk Davis, and to his brother, Emmett, I extend my deepest sympathies. I also would express to them my gratitude for the tremendous contribution Willis Davis made to his country.”

The Mother: Gertrude Joan Kirk Davis (1915–2013)

Born: January 7, 1915, St. Louis, Missouri Parents: John J. Kirk and Mamie Kirk Sister: Julia Marie Kirk (predeceased Joan) Died: Thursday, June 27, 2013, 11:00 PM, age 98 Location at death: Quaker Heights Care Community, Waynesville, Ohio (formerly of Cape May Retirement Village, Wilmington, Ohio) Burial: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia (with her husband) Church: St. Columbkille Catholic Church, Wilmington, Ohio

• Moved to San Antonio, Texas where she met Lt. Charles W. Davis
• Married May 28, 1941 at Fort Sam Houston
• Present at Schofield Barracks during the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941
• Gave birth to daughter Carol on December 8, 1941 — the day after Pearl Harbor, the day the United States declared war on Japan
• Served as secretary of Careers for Retired Military (her husband served as chairman)
• The personal letters between Joan and Charles during the war form the backbone of Kirk’s book The Hero & The Beauty
• Kirk’s name comes from Joan’s maiden name: Kirk

Joan’s Children

1. Carol Davis Denier — born December 8, 1941, Schofield Barracks, Oahu; married Jerome A. Denier
2. J. Kirk Davis (Joseph Kirk Davis) — married Ruth
3. John B. “Rick” Davis — predeceased Joan (died before 2013)

Joan’s Grandchildren

• Jerome A. Denier III, Charles Patrick Denier (Carol’s children)
• Charles K. Davis, Christopher B. Davis (Kirk’s children)
• Debra M. Denier (predeceased Joan)

Joan’s Great-Grandchildren

Anthony, Sam, Danny, Nick, Chase, Connor, and Caelan

Other Family

• Nieces: Carole Hillebrand, Peggy Davis
• Cousin: Don Blake

Source: Full obituary, Reynolds-Smith Funeral Home, Wilmington, Ohio, June 2013

J. Kirk Davis — The Son (Medal of Honor Family)

Full name: Joseph Kirk Davis Born: Circa 1943–1946 (his Amazon author bio: “At the tender age of six months, Kirk Davis completed his first flight aboard a DC-3 airliner. It would be a harbinger of what ultimately proved to be an extraordinary adventure, namely, ‘life with father.’”) Wife: Ruth Davis Sons: Charles K. Davis, Christopher B. Davis

Growing Up

• An “Army brat” — grew up moving between military installations as his father served across three wars
• First flight at six months on a DC-3 (likely a military transport between bases)
• His childhood was shaped by the weight of his father’s Medal of Honor and the constant movement of military life

Education

• Bishop Dennis J. O’Connell High School, Arlington, Virginia (Catholic military prep school near the Pentagon — consistent with an Army Colonel’s son stationed at the Pentagon/Army Staff)
• University of Notre Dame, Class of the 1960s (confirmed by Notre Dame Magazine class notes, Winter 2020-21 issue; also confirmed by Facebook and a Notre Dame class group post from September 2023: “I’m sure you’ve all seen the book written by J Kirk Davis about his parents”)

Career

• Founded J Kirk Davis Consulting, Inc. — appears in Missouri legal records (J. Kirk Davis Consulting v. Marquetta Glass, Jackson County, 2013) and on SlideShare with marketing/branding presentations
• Uploaded a “Kirk Davis Resume” and a “general prospectus” document to SlideShare (dated July 2010)

Residences (from public records)

• 81 Truesdale Dr, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 — as of 1991 (per NYT obituary of father) and people search records
• Plainsboro, NJ — at some point (near UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson campus)
• 333 Continental Blvd, Unit D1, El Segundo, CA 90245 — April 2000 to July 2001
• Kansas City, MO — at some point (matches the Missouri consulting lawsuit)
• Palestine, Texas — current residence per Facebook, book signings, Spokeo

The Fisherman

Kirk became deeply embedded in the fishing world of Fire Island and the Mid-Atlantic:

• Regular on Captain Joe Tangel’s “King Cod VII” blackfish trips out of Captree State Park / Fire Island Inlet
• Submitted public comments to the ASMFC (Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission) on summer flounder and black sea bass regulations
• Submitted comments to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) — documented in February 2022 meeting public comments: criticized the “mismanagement of the Summer Flounder fishery” that “artificially shifted fishing pressure from Summer Flounder to Black Sea Bass”
• Commented on MAFMC’s August 2025 briefing book regarding black sea bass biomass
• Active on NJFFFR (New Jersey Fishermen Fight for Rights) Facebook group — commenting on fishing regulations as recently as January 15, 2026 — six days before his death
• On Yelp, connected to Mogan’s Oyster House — Kirk Davis helped “bring Mogan’s Oyster House to fruition”

The Author

• Published THE HERO & THE BEAUTY: Two Hollywood-ready lovers escape middle-class convention, overcome the searing trauma of World War II and confront life in the wake of the Medal of Honor (2019)
• Self-published (“That’s me, li’l ole self-published author” — Facebook)
• 4.9 out of 5 stars on Amazon (15 reviews); second edition received 5.0 stars (3 reviews)
• Based on the personal letters his parents exchanged during the war
• Reviewed in Notre Dame Magazine (Winter 2020-21): “J. Kirk Davis published The Hero and the Beauty in 2019 and received five-star reviews on Amazon”

The Medal of Honor Donation

• In September 2020, Kirk and Ruth Davis donated Colonel Charles W. Davis’s Medal of Honor to the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas
• The ceremony was attended by J. Kirk Davis, Ruth Davis, and Robert Shenk (museum representative)
• Rob Shenk posted: “My deepest thanks to Kirk and Ruth Davis for their gift of Kirk’s father’s Medal of Honor today.”
• Kirk had previously been reluctant. Per Army.mil (2010): “Kirk Davis said he and his sister Carol were reluctant to give up their father’s Medal of Honor for public display, but he changed his mind.”
• The medal was first displayed at the Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame (2010) before its permanent donation to the national museum.

Public Speaking

• Veterans Day 2015, Tuscaloosa, AL: Kirk spoke at Veterans Memorial Park about his father’s valor at a ceremony organized by the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority and the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center
• Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame Induction, 2010: Kirk and Carol attended the ceremony inducting their father
• Mission Inspire Podcast, Episode 14 (February 25, 2022): “Host Mo Barrett is joined by the son of Major Charles W. Davis, Kirk. Together they discuss why he decided to donate his father’s Medal and the deeply emotional letters Major Davis sent to his wife, Joan, relating to the award.”

Patricia “Patty” R. Davis

• Long-time partner/wife of Kirk Davis at 67 Shell Walk, Lonelyville
• Principal of 67 Shell Walk LLC (the entity holding the property)
• Worked at UMDNJ (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, now Rutgers) — confirmed by two separate condolences from former colleagues
• The organizer — the one who held things together, who reached out when the community was threatened
• Led the 2018 lawsuit to protect Shell Walk boardwalk access (see below)
• A family member or close relation named Felicia is referenced in condolences: “My condolences to Felicia and family”
• Funeral arranged by James E. Churchman, Jr. Funeral Home (Newark/Elizabeth, NJ — an African American funeral home serving the community since 1899)
• Interment: Rosehill Cemetery, Linden, NJ

Condolences (from Articobits/Churchman Funeral Home)

1. “My condolences to Felicia and family.”
2. “Im in shock I came on her fir a relative I seen this my heart is broken. But enjoy hanging out and working together at UMDNJ”
3. A scripture-based condolence (Revelation 21:3,4; John 5:28,29; Isaiah 33:24)
4. “My Condolence and Prayers to you and your family.”
5. Staff message from the funeral home

The Property

Address: 67 Shell Walk, Lonelyville, Fire Island, NY 11706 Coordinates: Approximately 40°38’23”N, 73°10’36”W Structure: 3 bed, 3 bath, 1,328 sq ft Built: 1965 — part of the original wave of Lonelyville construction Held through: 67 Shell Walk LLC (Patricia R. Davis, principal)

Shell Walk is the main north-south boardwalk running through the heart of Lonelyville, from the bay side to the ocean. There are no roads on Fire Island — boardwalks are the arteries. The Davis house sat on the same stretch as Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft’s former ocean-front house and near Bob Greenberg’s (founder of R/GA) geometrically precise home inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House.

The Lawsuit — Davis v. Martino (2018)

Case Details

• Court: Suffolk County Supreme Court, New York
• Index No.: 601481/2018
• Category: Real Property — Other (Prescriptive Easement)
• Filed: January 23, 2018

Plaintiffs

• Patricia R. Davis
• 67 Shell Walk LLC
• Catherine M. Foti
• Steven R. Rudder
• Aaron S. Wertheimer
• Jacqueline Wertheimer
• Roger Raimond
• Maureen Raimond

Defendants

• Vincent Martino
• Jill Martino

Additional Parties in Exhibits

• Foti Landscaping & Contracting Corp.
• James Robert Foti

Legal Representation

• Plaintiffs’ Attorney: David Abramovitz — Robinson Brog Leinwand Greene Genovese & Gluck P.C. (Manhattan). A major New York real property firm. Not a neighborhood lawyer.
• Defendants’ Attorneys: Erin A. Sidaras (Stewart Title Insurance Company); Jaret Steffen Weber (Weber Law Group)

What It Was About

Prescriptive easement — the legal doctrine that if you openly, continuously, and notoriously use a path across someone else’s property for a statutory period (10 years in New York), you acquire a legal right to keep using it regardless of the property owner’s wishes.

On Fire Island, where there are no cars and the only way to reach your house is via boardwalks, easement disputes are existential. Blocking or removing a boardwalk section can literally cut someone off from their home. Patricia Davis and her neighbors — the Fotis, the Wertheimers, the Raimonds, Steven Rudder — banded together to assert their right to use a boardwalk path that the Martinos apparently tried to block or claim control over.

Outcome

The case generated 42+ docket entries and at least 5 motions. A Trellis court document snippet indicates: “Plaintiffs motion for summary judgment is granted.” Patricia Davis and her neighbors won. The court also imposed $3,277.50 in sanctions on one of the parties.

The boardwalk access was preserved. Patty Davis protected Shell Walk.

Personal Connection

At the time of the lawsuit, Patty reached out to Jason Greenfield (neighbor, grew up on Shell Walk near 71) who connected her with his father. His father spoke with Patty and helped in the effort to protect the property and boardwalk rights.

The End — 2025–2026

The Sale

• Listed: 2025, through Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty
• Asking price: $1,495,000
• Sold: November 7, 2025 for $1,336,000
• Moving sale: October 4, 2025 — posted in the Greater Lonelyville Facebook group: “Moving Sale 67 Shell Walk Lonelyville. Mostly home furnishings and beach decor (and mostly FREE for the taking).”
• Items were still being cleared out and given away as late as February 2026.

The Deaths

Kirk Davis: Passed away Friday, January 9, 2026. Services at Jason Lloyd Funeral Home, 6643-45 Torresdale Ave, Philadelphia, PA (Holmesburg/Tacony neighborhood, Northeast Philadelphia). No full obituary was published — the funeral home page reads “No obituary found for this tribute.”

Patricia “Patty” Davis: Passed away Sunday, January 18, 2026 — nine days after Kirk. Viewing Saturday January 31, 2026 at 10:00 AM; funeral service at 11:00 AM. Location: Churchman Funeral Services at Smith Funeral Home, 455 N Broad St, Elizabeth, NJ. Interment at Rosehill Cemetery, Linden, NJ.

Condolences from former UMDNJ colleague Kimberly Johnson and community member Thomas Jackson Jr., among others.

The Dates

The funeral home locations (Philadelphia and Elizabeth, NJ) suggest Kirk and Patty may have had roots outside Fire Island in the Philadelphia/NJ corridor. The timeline — property sold November 2025, both deaths January 2026, house being emptied — is consistent with one story.

The Sister: Carol Denier

• Born December 8, 1941 — Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii — the day after Pearl Harbor, the day the US declared war
• As of 1991, lived in Clarksville, Ohio (per NYT obituary of their father)
• Together with Kirk, initially reluctant to part with their father’s Medal of Honor for public display
• Present at Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame induction ceremony (2010)

The Uncle: Lieutenant Colonel Emmett Stillman Davis (1921–2006)

• Born 1921, Gordo/Montgomery, Alabama
• Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army — like his brother Charles, a career Army officer
• Died March 21, 2006, Montgomery, Alabama, age 84
• Funeral Mass: Saturday, March 25, 2006, 10:00 AM, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Montgomery
• Buried: Greenwood Cemetery, Montgomery, Alabama
• Mentioned in the 1991 Congressional Record tribute to his brother: “To his children, Carol Denier and Kirk Davis, and to his brother, Emmett, I extend my deepest sympathies.”

Two brothers — both career Army officers, both achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or above. The Davis family of Gordo, Alabama produced a Medal of Honor recipient (Colonel) and at least one other career officer (Lieutenant Colonel).

Sources: Find a Grave Memorial #191535919; FamilySearch (277G-ZRH)

The Community They Were Part Of

Kirk and Patty Davis were part of the original generation of Lonelyville. Their neighbors and contemporaries:

Captain Selah Clock (1880s)

Founded the Fire Island Fishing Company in the late 1880s. Built a 400-foot pier into the ocean. Lonelyville grew up around his operation. The true founding figure.

Warren James (1923–2025)

Turned 100 in 2023. WWII veteran. Former Fire Island Ferry boat captain. First arrived on Fire Island in 1929 at age six. Divided time between Bay Shore and Lonelyville. Passed away in 2025.

Captain Bob Federico (Robert Federico) (d. 2010)

Retired naval officer, known as “Captain Bob.” Purchased the family beach home in Lonelyville. His daughter Ellen Federico — “The Butterfly Lady of Fire Island” — still resides in the cedar-shingled cottage where she grew up.

Frank Gangel (d. January 9, 2010)

Lonelyville resident, formerly of Wantagh and Merrick. He and wife Ruth Woodroffe Gangel were Adelphi University donors (Million Dollar Roundtable). Active community members.

The Barbash Family (Dunewood, adjacent community)

Maurice Barbash and Irwin Chess developed Dunewood starting in 1958. Maurice was a homebuilder and environmental activist who blocked two massive projects threatening Fire Island/Long Island. His brother Murray Barbash was “a builder with an eye for beauty.” Maurice died in 2013 at 88.

Bob Greenberg (R/GA Founder)

Weekend house in Lonelyville. Built a home based on Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House — precise geometric proportions, glass and steel. Won an Academy Award in 1986 for pioneering computer graphics. NYT (2006) and Adweek confirmed the Lonelyville property.

Mel Brooks & Anne Bancroft

Ocean-front house in Lonelyville for many years. Wikipedia lists them as “probably the most famous past residents of Lonelyville.” Confirmed by multiple Fire Island community sources from the 1980s onward. Same stretch of Shell Walk as the Davis house.

Frank Whitney (Saltaire)

Owned the Saltaire Market for decades. WWII veteran. His wife Fyfe Whitney danced with the Rockettes until 1953. In 2014, the village of Saltaire attempted to seize his property through eminent domain after Hurricane Sandy — NY Post covered the controversy. Referenced in NYT as far back as 1977 as the man who sold the iconic red wagons used on Fire Island (no cars allowed).

Ronnie Paris

Took local kids fishing. Part of the same old-timer fabric as Kirk Davis. No public internet presence — a man known only to those who were there.

Peter Clark

Lonelyville resident. No public records found — another figure who exists in the community’s living memory rather than online.