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Martin Davis

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Martin (Marty) A. Davis, of Corona del Mar, Ca., passed away Sunday, December 26, 2010, after a courageous battle with lung cancer. He was 80 years “young”, and loved people and life to the fullest.
Marty, a former veteran of the Korean War was a meteorologist and combat waist gunner in a PBY. He was discharged from the Navy in 1952, on the West Coast, and decided to stay, rather than return to his native New York City. He worked in banking and finance in San Francisco, and then made his way to the Sierras, to become a ski patrolman and bartender at Squaw Valley. He returned to San Francisco in 1961, and put together a deal with six friends, and opened a bar/restaurant, on the corner of Greenwich and Fillmore Streets. They named it Pierce Street Annex (PSA).
Marty was able to open a chain of successful bars, including a short-lived one in Squaw Valley, in 1962. He opened Harvey Wallbangar’s in the San Francisco financial district, then the Coal Yard on Union Street.
Alaska was at the height of the pipeline construction in 1975, so another PSA was opened and business was “booming”. The period of 1975 until 1987, bars were opened in Costa Mesa, CA, Washington, D.C., Fort Lauderdale, FL and Tahoe City, CA and in the late nineties Santa Barbara, CA and Las Vegas, NV.
He decided to retire from the business, and sold his interest in the only remaining PSA, located on 17th Street, Costa Mesa, CA, which after 35 years is thriving.
He loved to play racket ball and did so until two years ago. He was a former Rotarian in Tahoe City and Newport Beach, CA. He was a world traveler and especially enjoyed cruising.
Marty was preceded in death by his parents and step-parents; Mother Edna and husband Louie Lies, father Martin and wife Nettie De Sapio, brother Eddie (Tiny) De Sapio.
He is survived by his wife Lee and several in-laws, a niece Lisa Bateman and husband Brett and their three children, Elle, Brooke and Cooper of Murray, UT, and cousins throughout the country.
A memorial will be planned at a future date. Those who wish to remember Marty, may make a donation to the American Lung Association, ASPCA, or a charity of their choice.

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