Merton Lawrence Davies, Jr., "Larry," age 80, died Saturday, October 18, 2025, at his residence in the Village of Geneseo with his beloved life partner, Arthur J. Rebban, by his side.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, on February 12, 1945, Larry rose from humble beginnings to build a life full of artistry, friendship, and grace. He was accepted to The Juilliard School to study classical piano and seemed headed for the concert stage until an accident changed everything. In true Larry fashion, he didn't wallow—he found another way forward. Staying in New York, he worked as personal assistant to Chester C. Davis of the law firm Davis & Cox while, at the same time, being mentored by Broadway composer Stanley Freeman, who was a lifelong friend. In those years, Larry moved with equal ease between the worlds of Broadway and Wall Street—both filled with outsized personalities and stories to match.

In his second act, Larry became a self-taught landscape architect and moved to Key West just as it was becoming the "in" place for writers, artists, and eccentrics. In recognition of his contributions to the community and his charitable work for the Tennessee Williams Theatre, Larry was named an Honorary Conch and a member of the Tennessee Williams Theatre Founders' Society.

An admirer of elegance and authenticity, Larry lent his talents to preserving Miami Beach's Art Deco architecture. In 1980, he served as event coordinator for the Moon over Miami Ball, a fundraiser for the Miami Design Preservation League, and persuaded his close friend Eartha Kitt to perform. As all of Larry's friends can attest, he hardly ever asked a favor—but when he did, it was impossible to say no. After Kitt dazzled the crowd with her signature cabaret entrance, bathed in pink light, the mayor of Miami Beach awarded Larry Knight of the Sunshine City.

If Larry's life were a play, his third act was grounded in love and coming full circle. When he met Arthur in Fort Lauderdale, they bonded over their shared affection for Upstate New York. Years earlier, while living in Manhattan, Larry had purchased an eighteenth-century stone house in the Hudson River Valley where he escaped the city to garden in peace and be surrounded by nature—a love of place he would later share with Arthur when they decided to make a home in the Genesee Valley, where Arthur had grown up and still had family and friends. Like everywhere he went, Larry belonged, becoming a cherished friend with a library worth of fabulous stories, all told with his inimitable flair.

Larry lived his life to create, to connect, and to leave each place better than he found it. And when he'd done that—and he always did—he knew when it was time for a new adventure.

He leaves behind a wide circle of friends who adored him for his kindness, humor, and grace. He made the world brighter—and more colorful—simply by being in it.

To honor Larry's legacy, embrace your neighbor without judgement and with humility and always with a witty retort.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Teresa House, 21 Highland Rd., Geneseo, NY 14454.