Tuesday, June 22, 2021
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My heart is very heavy learning about Dave’s passing. He was a very close friend of mine for many years while we worked together at (the former) Hamilton Sundstrand/UTC. Dave was the consummate lunch buddy, and would always find time to meet for lunch no matter what our crazy schedules were like. We would frequent Second Poquonock for huge grinders and 7-Eleven for Dave’s enormous Big Gulp drinks and after every lunch, I would wonder how we would get through the remainder of the workday after stuffing our faces! But then we would be back at it the next day (or whenever we could grab lunch). From time to time, Dave and I would also meet up for dinner at Red Rose Pizzeria (and those who knew Dave know all about his love for pizza!), where he would incredulously ask me every time why I could not possibly eat 20 slices of pizza and how I would “force” him to take the leftovers home with him for a “midnight snack.” He was SO silly! We stayed in touch for many years after I had moved onto other opportunities outside of UTC, and Dave would always poke fun at me for “jumping all over the place” while he remained a “lifer” in his QE position. I SO wish he had the opportunity to retire and truly enjoy life without having to worry about work after having devoted so many years to his career, but am convinced Dave stayed because he truly loved his job. I was just reading an e-mail from two years ago where he laid his tentative plans out to me to possibly retire in “two or three years” to go on and do something that would help out the community (Meals-on-Wheels, volunteering at a senior center, tutoring, etc.) and it made me think about just what a GOOD man he was. He always wanted to help out, give back, do good. In that e-mail, he jokingly told me we should get together sometime in the “next few years or so.” Unfortunately, we never had the opportunity to do so and I regret we didn’t. Life truly does fly by. I will miss Dave’s long witty e-mails that always took me forever to respond to and his sense of humor. He ALWAYS had the ability to make me laugh with his off-the-wall comments no matter what kind of day I was having. I literally could talk to Dave about any and everything and despite our different backgrounds and age gap, we just clicked. He was the best work bud, friend, confidante and advice giver, although he probably felt like I never listened to him because I tend to be a bit hard-headed. But I did always listen to Dave because he always listened to everything I said. He never forgot a thing! He’d bring up people or places or things from years’ past and would just make me laugh at his references. He was also so smart and knew so much, which is probably why I truly enjoyed all of our conversations. I used to joke with him that I couldn’t believe an Engineer could speak and write so well or have such an awesome command of the English language, but he absolutely did! Dave was definitely one of a kind; he was one of one. Although I am saddened about Dave’s passing, I know he would not want that. Instead, I will forever hold onto the great memories he and I shared during our times together and will fondly remember all of the laughs and fun times. Dave truly was the best of the best and I wish I had one more time to tell him so. I pray he is resting peacefully in paradise. My sincerest thoughts and deepest condolences are with Dave’s family during this difficult time.
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