Obituaries

Dave, affectionately known as “Grand,” leaves behind his beloved wife, Judy (Quinn), with whom he shared 54 wonderful years; his two children, Chris and Carmen; and his two cherished grandchildren, Nathan and Sadie. He leaves them with countless loving memories, especially of his gleeful smile, one that seemed to burst straight from his heart whenever he was in their presence.

As a young boy, Dave learned to sail while spending summers at his Uncle Joe MacPherson’s cottage on Lochaber Lake. He often joked, “That’s where I learned to point into the wind to get back quickly before the strawberry shortcake was all gone.” His many sailing friends can attest to his focus, skill, and natural aptitude for winning races.

Dave grew up in his family home near Fort Needham and within the St. Joseph’s Parish community, where he formed lifelong friendships with families such as the Leals, Hessians, Mullanes, Keefes, Gentils, Olsons, Sullivans, and many others. The bench on the boulevard—once a gathering place for coming-of-age conversations and antics, still survives today.

Dave enjoyed a very successful career in telecommunications, earning a reputation as the best person to call for installation and troubleshooting. Passionate about his work, he retired early from MT&T and went on to hold several senior positions throughout the eastern United States, assisting with the first major cutovers to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology.

In 1979, Dave and Judy purchased a waterfront cottage on Zwicker Island in Mahone Bay. Judy was a realtor at the time, and when the listing came around, it changed their lives forever. Thirty-two summers on an island cottage in those waters....doesn’t get any better than that. Dave even kept the log to prove it. His love of the ocean lives on: his granddaughter’s middle name is Ocean, and his grandson, Nathaniel, carries a name rooted in Dave’s Levy generational history of life on Little Tancook.

Dave had a true yen for a good gab. Any conversation, on any topic, was welcome, and it was always a pleasure to listen to his thoughtful and often humorous takes. A private, deep philosopher, he loved to sit and ponder the origins of humanity, the poetry of Bob Dylan and John Prine, mitochondria, the power of music, and, occasionally, why Judy didn’t always want to talk about all of this fascinating stuff again.

Very funny, very smart, deeply dedicated to what truly mattered, and a uniquely original thinker, Dave was profoundly grateful for the rich life he lived. He gave his family the ultimate gift.... staying with them into his 80th year and passing gently in his sleep.

He is loved and fondly remembered by all who knew him.