David was born in Utica, New York on August 24,1942, and spent his formative years in upstate New York. He reminisced often of days spent taking the bus to the local YMCA to play basketball. He proudly held the title of class president in high school and sang in the choir growing up. He enjoyed summers and weekends at the family’s camp in Old Forge, in the Adirondacks, where he learned to love the outdoors, fishing and hunting; he excelled as a water-skiing instructor and later became a float plane pilot.
In David and Ann's early years together, he co-owned a float plane with his lifelong friends Dave Farrell and Dan Rivet. Many exciting and hysterical memories were shared on their trips together. One of David's grandchildren’s' favorite stories is about Grandma and Grandpa taking the float plane to Skaneateles Lake to attend President Biden's first wedding. David had befriended Joe Biden during his time at Syracuse University.
David earned his Bachelor’s degree from Clarkson and a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Utah. It was in Utah where he met his wife, Ann Collins Luther of Ogden, UT, a graduate of Brigham Young University. At the time Ann had finished her degree in chemistry and was working in a laboratory in Salt Lake. She loved recounting how when she and David met she was making more money than him and she owned a car. They married in March of 1969 and had a skiing honeymoon in Jackson Hole. That kicked off a marriage filled with travel and outdoor adventures. Ann and David loved traveling the world together and drove across the country in a family motorhome they named the yellow bullet (a 1977 mustard yellow GMC).
David's career path moved the family several times from upstate NY to MA, UT, WA and back to MA ending in NH. David had a successful and busy career, beginning as a civil service electronic engineer supporting airfare intelligence and reconnaissance. He worked in Utah with Evans and Sutherland, Digital, then working as an executive at Kodak, and later Polaroid.
Wherever David and his family settled he raised animals and a garden that seemed to get bigger with each year. He skillfully grew fruit, veggies, and flowers from seed, a passion shared by his son Eric. David could always be found working on various home improvement projects as well as building chicken coops and pig pens, patios and a few decks. David and Ann enjoyed over 20 years in their dream house in Groton, MA. The house, an antique built in 1776, brought many projects for him, much gathering for the family, and was the location of both Adam's and Molly's weddings over the years. At the end of his career David and Ann opened a wholesale bakery for a few years, selling Ann's famous brownies. In retirement and up until his last year of life, he honed his skills of woodworking by building furniture for friends and family. His daughter Molly doesn’t have a room in her house without a piece of furniture built by her father.
David never stopped truly cherishing being in his canoe or on the side of a body of water fishing with close friends, his brother Tom, or his son Adam. The hunting camp at Old Forge was his favorite place, where he spent time with his father and many close family friends throughout his life.
He was a consistent reader and library regular no matter where he was living. A Boston Pops season ticket holder, he seemed to always be listening to symphony music or jazz. He was an active participant in civic organizations in all the places he lived and was a natural born leader. David's wife Ann has been suffering with dementia for many years now and David managed her care as she transitioned to a memory care facility 3 years ago. It's hard to imagine them not by each other's side.
David really got a kick out of his grandkids and was so happy to learn about accomplishments along their way, always asking about the kids' sports and school activities. The family will have a private memorial at a later date. Send condolences to the family [email protected].
Arrangements are under the care of the Ginley Crowley Funeral Home(www.ginleyfuneralhomes.com).