David slipped the surly bonds of earth on May 16, 2018, one day before his 71st birthday. He was surrounded in love by his wife of 51 years, Linda, and his two daughters, Marianne and Francoise. David will always be remembered for his intelligence, quick wit and gentlemanly ways.
David was born in Norwich, England, in 1947. David and Linda met there in 1964 when they were both 17, and David emigrated to the United States, in 1965. Linda and David were married in Lombard, Illinois, on July 9, 1966.
David was employed as an electrical estimator, always working for small electrical firms working on big projects. In 1970, David’s career took him and his family from the Chicago area to Bellingham, Washington, and then to a year in Jamaica, W.I., in 1971. After a year in Jamaica, the family moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, where David worked for an electrical firm associated with the building of the Alaska Pipeline.
In 1978, they finally settled in Everett, Washington, where they stayed put for the next 28 years.
David and Linda bought property on the north end of Lopez Island, in 1997, with an eye for future retirement. When David was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in the same year, they moved their retirements dates up and moved to Lopez in 2005.
David and Linda had an adventurous marriage, filled with travel. Their favorite kind of trip was the good old American road trip, usually planned around visiting National Parks. Monuments and Historical Sites. In 1997 they visited all of the Civil War sites and battlefields in the Eastern States, and then in 2000, they continued the trip with the states along the Mississippi River.
David was also a lifetime motorcyclist and David and Linda made several long motorcycle trips, one being traveling U.S. Highway 2 From Washington to Duluth Minnesota in 1985.
They made several trips to Europe, which included a highlight trip in 1998, when they attended the World Cup in Paris, France.
Soccer (Football) was David’s great love: he both played and coached for many years. He coached everything from coed teams to complete beginners and children.
Not content with just playing soccer, David was also a mountain climber and climbed the Seven Sisters: the seven major mountains of Washington and Oregon. He was also a bicyclist, completing the STP twice, and a runner: participating in the Seattle Marathon twice, and the Honolulu marathon once. As if that wasn’t enough, David was a fine horseman, showing his skill by competing in various fairs around the state.
David leaves his wife, Linda; two daughters, Marianne and Francoise; son-in-law, Anton; and grandson, Tristan. He also leaves his sister and brother-in-law, Janice and David Taylor; niece and nephew, Nicola and Ian; and their families, all of Norwich, England.
A labyrinth memorial and potluck for David is planned for 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m., Sunday, June 17.
Memorials gifts can be made in David’s name to Doctors Without Borders, National Parks Conservation Association, and/or Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation.
