Remembering Malik N. Davis, 1970-2023

Family and friends are remembering Malik N. Davis and sharing this with the community:

Malik Nkrumah Davis was larger than life in all possible ways. He was often heard before he was seen, with his booming voice calling out a greeting or his laughter echoing around the room and, standing tall in both height and character, he made those around him feel cared for and protected. But he was most known for his passion and outsized love which encompassed all of those he cared about, fueled his pursuit of social justice and drove his well-known fervor for his beloved University of Washington Huskies. Nothing was greater than his endless love for “his girls” – his beautiful wife, Colleen, and his adored daughters, Waverly (15) and Quincy (13), who were the center of his world.

The profound impact of his life is matched only by the pain of his passing, since he died Feb. 21, suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack at home.

Malik was born to Alice Davis and Waverly Davis on Dec. 2, 1970 in Seattle. He graduated from Garfield High School (‘88) and then earned a degree in Political Science from the University of Washington (’94). He went on to earn a master’s degree in Public Administration from the New School, located in New York City.

His mother, Alice, inspired his passion for social activism starting when he was a boy. He grew into a gentle giant with humility and compassion. He spent his life committed to helping others and actively working for positive change, whether that was through his work in politics, at non-profits, or marching for justice.

At the time of his passing, he was a Legislative Aide for Seattle Councilmember Alex Pedersen and previously worked at Mary’s Place as the Associate Director; at the University of Washington as Director of Constituent Relations, UW Alumni Association, and later as a Major Gifts Officer at the College of Arts and Science. He also previously was a Client Relationship Specialist for Charter Construction and held several roles for the City of Seattle.

Malik was a proud and active member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity as well as The Breakfast Group, a Seattle-based non-profit focused on addressing the challenges of at-risk youth of color. He was a frequent mentor to high school and college students, in addition to being an active volunteer in his community and at his children’s schools.

Malik will be remembered for his gregarious personality and fierce advocacy for people and the causes he held dear. He had a consummate ability to make every person around him feel as though they were the most important in the room. He was always up for whatever his family wanted to do, whether it was dressing up in their tradition of themed Halloween costumes, sharing a passion for all things Marvel with his daughter Quincy, being his daughter Waverly’s biggest fan at her sports events, or going on myriad trips, including a pandemic vacation in an RV, a visit to New York, Hawaii, and a recent trip to Disneyland. For his 50th birthday, he and Colleen took a cross-country train trip, in honor of his passion for trains. Malik adored Luther, their chocolate Labrador, and the newest addition to the Davis family, Otis, their French Bulldog.

Malik was loved beyond words and returned that love so powerfully that it will wrap around his family for the rest of their lives and will ripple across time for generations to come.

In addition to his wife, daughters, and mother, he is survived by his brother Kalauu Davis, of Seattle; brother Karim Davis, niece Kaleilah Davis and stepmother Sheila Davis, all of Tigard, Oregon; a large and loving extended family and enough friends to fill a stadium. Malik was preceded in death by his father.

The Davis Family is proud to share that leaders from the City of Seattle will be proclaiming this December 2nd, Malik’s birthday, as “Malik Davis Day.”

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to a scholarship being set up in Malik’s name to benefit Kappa Alpha Psi. For more information, visit www.MalikDavisMemorial.com.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

19 Replies to "Remembering Malik N. Davis, 1970-2023"

  • Kathleen March 7, 2023 (9:16 am)

    Wow– I wish I had known Malik.  What a giant.  May his family find peace and may he RIP forever.  The world was surely a better place with him in it. 

  • Anxious Driver March 7, 2023 (9:27 am)

    This is too young for such an incredible human.  My sincere condolences to the family.

  • LPM March 7, 2023 (10:00 am)

    Our hearts are broken for this amazing family.  Malik was the kind of person who always greeted you with a smile and made you feel like you were the only person in the room.  The hole he will leave in this community is enormous.  I am a better human for knowing him.  

  • Condolences March 7, 2023 (10:37 am)

    I am so sorry for your loss!  His smile and laugh were special indeed.  

  • Gregory James Nickels March 7, 2023 (10:40 am)

    I got to know Malik during his earlier stints with the City of Seattle. He was a good man, gone far too soon. My condolences to his family and my thanks to them for sharing him with all of us. 

  • local March 7, 2023 (10:41 am)

    Sounds like an absolutely wonderful person. May his friends and family be comforted by their memories together. 

  • 4thGenWestSide March 7, 2023 (11:13 am)

    Sending love to Kalauu & the extended Davis family.  A life well lived and much too short.  

  • Alice Kuder March 7, 2023 (11:54 am)

    Sadly, I did not know Mr. Davis, but this powerfully written obituary makes it obvious that his was a life well-lived, and we are all fortunate that he contributed so much in such a short time. 

  • Ruth March 7, 2023 (2:10 pm)

    Larger than life…he was this and so much more. Malik will forever be missed. What a light he was for our world and local community. I feel beyond fortunate that I was able to call him a friend. May his love continue to safely wrap ‘his girls’ and may we all brighten our lights a bit more, in honor of Malik. 

  • PQ March 7, 2023 (4:06 pm)

    A staggering loss. I am struggling to find
    the words to describe what Malik meant to me. Like the obituary details, he was
    a man of many strengths all of which made people feel cared for and valued. An
    unbelievable role model in our West Seattle village and beyond. He was so
    genuine, kind, and thoughtful, and yes did some big things but he also spread
    joy with little things. For example, a simple act of kindness in his long list
    of contributions includes one day we had a soccer game for our girls on Mother’s
    Day and he brought flowers for all of the girls to give their Moms. Another one
    is I ran into him picking weeds at Alki Elementary one afternoon on the courts
    so kids could play ball easier. He just made life better wherever he went. And
    I will miss him terribly. Colleen, Wave, Q, & his extended family, there
    are really no words to express my condolences to you. My heart aches. Sending
    my love.  

  • Anna March 7, 2023 (5:37 pm)

    Heartbroken to hear this news and sending so much love and light to Colleen and the girls. I worked with Malik in UW Advancement and would run into him around West Seattle after we both left the U. He was a force of positive energy and enthusiasm and will be deeply missed.

  • Frog March 7, 2023 (8:07 pm)

    I remember long ago, Malik talked the Alki Elementary PTA into letting him run an event called “Dads and Donuts” one day per year before school, to encourage involvement of fathers with the school and their kids’ education.  Of course, immediately, the termites of wokeness began to gnaw away at the idea, because what about moms, what about students with two moms, what about students with no dad handy, what about students who lived with grandparents, what about what about what about.  Once there was a “Moms and Muffins” event, but soon it became parents and donuts, then any significant adult in your life and donuts, then just free donuts before school.  The event was Seattle-processed into oblivion.  But the fact that even once an event could be held in West Seattle called “Dads and Donuts” was a testament to the enormous respect that people had for Malik.  It’s very sad to hear that he is gone.

  • Neighbor March 8, 2023 (6:10 am)

    Malik was an amazing man with a fierce love for his family and for his community. Words are too meager to do justification to just how good a man he was. I feel so fortunate to have known him. Colleen, Wave, Q and Alice and Malik’s whole family, you are in my thoughts every day.

  • AlkiBulldog March 8, 2023 (8:22 am)

    Sad news, and a huge loss for West Seattle and the community.  Sending love to his friends and family.  

  • Diane March 8, 2023 (8:39 am)

    My condolences to the Davis family, I too wish I had known Malik.  A life well lived but way too short and clearly a huge loss to the whole community.  Reading about him inspires me. 

  • Mark T March 8, 2023 (11:01 am)

    Our condolences go out the the Davis family!  He was a great man and always brought a smile to our face!  Alki elementary and the west Seattle community was lucky to have you in our lives.  You  will be missed!  

  • Brendan Kolding March 8, 2023 (1:31 pm)

    Malik was a true servant leader and a friend to all.  My prayers go out to his family.  

  • Aly March 8, 2023 (3:14 pm)

    I learned of Malik’s unexpected passing a week ago and continue to struggle with my emotions around such a loss for family and community. This obituary is a wonderful remembrance and helpful to me as I reflect on various Alki School activities through the years and his unforgettable Iman to Colleen’s David Bowie. Often when an acquaintance passes you only learn after the fact so many of the things that drew you to them, as I read about Malik it all fits so perfectly to the man, “standing tall in both height and character”, that I met in the school hallway many years ago. With love. Aly

  • SLJ March 9, 2023 (11:48 am)

    My condolences to the family. For someone who knows the family and can pass this one when appropriate, I highly recommend Camp Erin for the kids (or any kids who have lost a loved one). https://www.providence.org/locations/wa/hospice-of-seattle/camp-erin

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