Mr Davis, who was given an official farewell at Dunback last weekend, ran the rural delivery service from Palmerston to Dunback, Morrisons and Macraes.
More than 60 people attended the function, with one guest summing up his career best: "Nothing was too much trouble.
If you needed something urgently for the farm or the house, Geoff Davis would bring it out."
Mr Davis said he had set out to give all the 125 box-holders on the route inland from Palmerston the "best possible service" when he took over in 1990.
Originally from Ranfurly, he and his wife Lois also operated a stationery and bookshop in Palmerston.
He said he had treated people "as he would like to be treated".
The rural delivery work expanded significantly with the opening of the Macraes gold mine in 1990, which had been great for his business.
However, that expansion was offset by farm amalgamations and fewer staff working on farms with the number of box-holders in 2009 the same (125) as in 1990.
Only 22 of the original box-holders of 1990 remained, he said.
Made president of the Otago-Southland branch of the Rural Mail Contractors Association in 2001, he was then elected to the New Zealand executive.
Mr Davis, who is also the Palmerston Volunteer Fire Brigade's chief fire officer, will end his rural delivery contract next Tuesday.
Allan and Glenda McNeill, of Dunedin, will take over on April 1.
