| CONDOLENCES (GuestBook) |
4/10/2023 Michelle MacDougall
Boston, MA, United States
I always wanted a brother, so I was thrilled when my longtime friend, Dave married my sister, Catherine. He was an honest, loyal, trustworthy friend to me for many years. Most of my memories of him involve laughing until we cried. He was a loving and supportive husband to my sister, and I am so grateful that they found one another. My heart breaks for her grief. I will miss him terribly.
4/14/2023 Jody A. Soucie
Whitman, MA, USA
I am finding it difficult to capture the right words to honor my son. Dave was the articulate one. He was kind, considerate and cared deeply for those he loved and had an incredible sense of humor. As has been mentioned, Dave was an avid hiker in his early years. He did not choose the conventional path of going to college after high school. No, Dave decided to hike the Appalachian Trail and followed up with hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from the Mohave Desert to British Columbia on the west coast. I remember there were so many cardboard boxes in his grandmother’s living room, packed with prepared foods, batteries (for his Walkman), phone cards etc. which we shipped to the local post offices along his scheduled excursions into towns along the way. Dave ended up cutting his PCT trip just short of British Columbia. He hiked from the Mohave Desert to Oregon when Dave made the decision to end his trip and come home so that he could see his grandmother one more time before she passed. Aldo DiCenso, his stepfather and I are making a donation to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in loving memory of David in lieu of flowers.
4/15/2023 Kelley
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Dave was not only my brother, he was my first best friend in life. I treasure the memories of us acting like complete goofballs and laughing until we couldn't breathe, blasting amazing music, and talking for hours about everything and anything. I would give everything I own just to have one more moment like this, or even just one more hug. Although my heart is breaking, I find comfort in knowing that my brother is back in our beloved Nana and Grampa's arms, and that he can now hike the endless, beautiful mountains of heaven. Dave, I am forever grateful to have had you in my life, and my daughters life ( your buddy Lainie). I am so very thankful for all the beautiful memories we shared. I loved you then, I love you now, and I will love you forever!! Your sister, Kelley
4/15/2023 Corrina Raymond
Enfield, CT,
My memories of Dave are stored in my heart. His laugh and smile could light up a room. Most of my childhood memories include Dave and his fun, silly way. From playing in Nana & Grandpa’s backyard to family day trips, and the joy he brought my brother as a best buddy.
4/16/2023 Marla
Charlottesville, Va,
Dave and his smile always amazed me with his insightful,caring nature and the determination to be his best self. His kindness, thoughtfulness, and understanding of others, regardless of the circumstances or situations. I will so miss him but will always be grateful for the memories and the honor of being his friend. Rest In Peace
4/17/2023 Richard Ridge
Charlottesville , Virginia, USA
Dave’s Eulogy from yesterday… Good afternoon all, family and friends: First, thank you Catherine for the privilege of giving the eulogy for Dave. We are here today for several reasons: 1) To support Catherine and Dave’s family 2) To celebrate Dave’s life and our shared memories And 3) To begin the recovery process as bereaved loved ones and friends. As we celebrate Dave’s life, we all can call to mind our individual memories, of him as a person, what he meant to us, and how he contributed to a better world. Dave was well known for his compassion, sense of humor, and selflessness. he also had a wonderfully rich vocabulary from his lifelong and extensive reading habits, and I’m sure he would agree that his sense of humor was often sardonic which is cynically humorous and without malice. He formed solid bonds in friendship, and the closest bond of all, was with his wife Catherine. His love for Catherine shone through every time he mentioned or spoke about her. Dave cared deeply for family, friends, the environment, literature, and applying himself to the fullest. He helped others around him become better people in so many ways, personallyand spiritually. We will all remember his heartwarming smile, his infectious laugh, his engaging thoughts in conversation, and his intellectual curiosity. Dave appreciated the warmer weather, and was looking forward to working around his home, and planting some lilacs like he remembered from his Nana’s backyard and finishing some handcrafted planters like the ones on their front steps. He enjoyed his back yard with Ellie and Teddy, their two rescue dogs. He especially enjoyed mowing their lawn while listening to country music through his headphones. Dave was a man of many talents. He was a Master Electrician. And I think he had the Soucie carpenter gene. On one hand, he was skilled in rough carpentry like building fences, such as the 500 ft long picket fence he built around his yard in Bedford, VA. On the other hand, Dave had few equals in fine carpentry. One of the many testaments of this is a beautiful, modified Mission style chest of drawers that looks like it could be straight out of an Ethan Allen showroom. He sometimes spoke about experiencing joy in applying geometry to measuring and forming the various angles in making joints for his woodwork projects. To say Dave loved the outdoors is an understatement. I remember many years ago when camping near Lake George, he ran out of clean clothes, and I told him to put on his cleanest dirty shirt. I clearly remember him saying: “Uncle Richie, that makes no sense”. Years later, as he trekked across the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest trail, I know he came to understand that concept quite well. Altogether, I’ll bet he hiked over 10,000 miles between these three major hikes and many shorter ones. He may have hiked these trails alone, but he had the support of his family back home by his side. Outdoor photography was another of Dave’s special talents and an area of accomplishment. Many of his photographs were publication worthy, and captured the beauty, majesty, and overall peace of the forests and mountains that he travelled through, and embodied the respect and esteem that he held for the outdoors. Many conversations with Dave included some statement of appreciation or gratefulness for someone or something or mentioning some kind act he either received or provided to someone else. He often had incredible insight into various diverse issues, large and small. He had a special kindness, thoughtfulness, and understanding of others that transcended circumstances or situations. In the recent past, he did some yard work for an older neighbor, pulling several bushes out by the roots, something she had hoped to get done for a long time. She had asked several other neighbors many times to no avail. She only had to ask Dave once, and he far exceeded her expectations. As we begin to recover from the shock of losing Dave, we must hold onto, and embrace our memories, thoughts, and feelings for him, and recognize and acknowledge, the incredible impact he had on all of us. And to be thankful for having had Dave in our lives. He is surely missed. On behalf of his wife, Catherine, thank you again for being here today.