Like so many here, I am at a loss.

Dave was a friend, a mentor. Sh*t, he was who I wanted to be when I grew up.

I just pray that those who love him most can find comfort. I can only imagine what they are going through...to lose a man who was so amazing, so full of the joy of life. I am, literally, crying with them.

As an aside, it's nice to see so many super-old-timer FTers on this thread. I miss you guys too!

]This news has stunned me. I first met Dave at the gate waiting for our flight to Hobart for OZFest 5 thanks to the yellow FT tags and again in Adelaide with Jeannie.
My condolences to his loved ones.

http://g-day.smugmug.com/Travel/Ozfe...87_aXQRU-M.jpg

Ray

Very sad news, my condolences to his family. Before we had moderators, we had deputy Catcops on FT.

+1

Never met him either, but my condolences to his wife, family and friends and to all for your losses..

Here's to you, Sir.. One glass of bubbly and a farewell. Rest In Peace..

Sad, horrible news reaching me, appropriately enough, on a rainy and somber day in Manchester, UK. I am in tears.

Dave was a great guy in every way. I first met him at PIP, and joked that we must be a couple because in a number of FT pics we were standing next to each other. A fellow Long Beach Grand Prix fan, I saw him at any number of times around SoCal, and beyond; sometimes running into him randomly around town.

Sweet journey Dave...I know you will get upgraded by the big guy upstairs. Love, Barry

Oh, I'm so sad to hear this. What a shock.

My condolences to his wife and family. I met Dave in Singapore, and have fond memories of the fish pedicure we got there. He was a terrific guy and will be greatly missed. :(

With a heavy heart.....
 

RIP, Dave. I genuinely enjoyed all the time I was privileged to spend with you.

My condolences to your family and the rest of your friends.

Alicia, thank you for your kind words.

While many of us were privileged to share share meals and drinks with Dave all over the world, his eyes *truly* lit up when to talked about his family, his boys and especially his grandchildren.

This is much too soon.
RIP, Grandpa Dave.

Very sad news to hear about the loss of a genuinely nice and friendly guy.

I was so shocked and saddened to hear of Dave's passing. He was one of the first FTers I met and had the pleasure of seeing him at many DOs since. Such a genuinely nice guy.

Heartfelt condolences to Jeanne, family and friends.

Dave
 

I will remember a very polite gentleman and friend. Thank you to have shared some (rare) short moments of my travel life.

I have been contacted through this night by many of his (and mine) friends and in add got the following information:

'Apparently he was at Starbucks and fainted. He woke up and did not know he fainted and the paramedics were there. They took him to the hospital. He talked to Jeanne and said he felt fine and he would call her when he know something or was ready to come home. He never called so she went to the hospital. He passed away before Jeanne got there. As you would expect she is devastated.'

I only had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Dave once. It was May 2008 and I was in need of LAX RCC access while mileage-running (to some exotic locale like BUF or JAX, :rolleyes: no doubt) and he was on his way to OzFest V: Hobart. Unfortunately we only had 5-10 mins together before his boarding call and our paths never crossed again.

My thoughts are with his family and friends.

I've had a little time to process this shocking news and I am still very hurt and sad. I think I'm mainly mad because I won't get a chance to see Dave for a while and I know he had just started a new chapter in his life that was bringing him such joy.

To me, Dave represented the best of what we as FlyerTalkers should try and be.

To me, Dave represented the best of what we as human beings should try and be.

Chorus angelorum te suscipiat...

So sad, really nice guy
Tho we all say at times like this.. live every day as if its your last etc.
Mostly we just go along doing the best we can, and I am sure he did.
Condolences to his family

I'm just waking up in London to the terrible news. I'm pretty sure that Dave was with us at the very first Flyertalk get together, in early 1999 I think, which was at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Premex should have some pictures somewhere. Or maybe I can find some.

Dave and I were neighbors in Long Beach and we used to go out for beers at Legends and Joe Josts from time to time. I know for a fact that he was a much happier person thanks to the friends he met here and all the traveling he otherwise would not have done. He called himself Newself for a reason and he lived up to it. God bless him.

Dave and I crossed paths many times over the years. I'm glad I had the opportunity to know him and share many a beer with him.

Me > sad :(

RIP.

Friendship with Dave knew no bounds and circled the globe.

Rest in peace, good sir. You were a class act.

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/3222/schooner.jpg

Tonight, I'll raise a schooner in your honor.

I'm in shock, he looked great last month when we met for breakfast.

Great guy, excellent FT'er & person to travel with.:-:^:-:

My condolences to his wife and family.

I only met him once, maybe twice, back in the early days. But he always seemed to be able to conduct himself above the typical FT fray. Sad news.

I'm sure I met him at a couple of the European dos - my thoughts go to his family at their untimely loss :(

I'm sorry I never got to meet you Dave, but thank you for everything you did here. May your journey to the hereafter have Channel 9 on, unlimited drink refills, and a great purser.

I am very shocked to hear this sad news :(. I met Dave at one of the Singapore Do's and he was a lovely person.

My thoughts are with his family at this terrible time :(

RIP Dave.

I had met Dave at different DOs over the last few years. I remember a very nice man.

My sympathies to Dave's wife and family. He was too young!

Deepest sympathies and condolences for Dave's wife and family.

How truly sad...
 

In August of 1999 just after joining FT, I met Dave, stimpy and John Goldwater for dinner at the Yard House in LGB, then back to stimpy's home for Champagne after. To be acepted so readily by a group of total strangers I'd just met a few hours earlier was incredible.

My friendship with Dave and other SoCal FT'ers just got stronger when I moved there later that year.

This is just a terrible piece of news and want to wish Jeannie the best in her future.

We've ALL lost a great friend in Dave...

I had the pleasure of meeting you once once and only once but when I say it was a pleasure, that it truly was. You will truly be missed and my condolences to your family.

May you go with God and continue to fly with us as an angel on our wings.

Oh man, chchkiwi just told me the news about Dave. I had the pleasure of meeting him and his lovely wife Jeannie a couple of times and he was definitely one of those FTers that everyone could get along with and would help out anyone and everyone.

And I get this news at the beginning of the week in which we have a flight to remember another departed local FTer, Freeth. :(

RIP Dave. My condolences to Jeannie, Alicia, and all of Dave's family and friends. He'll be greatly missed!

Dave was one of the first FTers I met when I was in Los Angeles.

Such sad news to our flyertalk family!

What a shock, :( Dave attended Ozfest Adelaide last year.

RIP Dave. My condolences to Jeannie and the rest of Daves family.

Thanks to Baze for passing on the sad news.

Terrible news... my condolences to his family.

wharvey, as soon as I saw your post it reminded me of the dinner you, Dave and I had in LA at Paco's Tacos a few years back.

Just one of the many memories that have come flooding back in the past 24 hours...

It's always sad to lose a member of our community. :(

Dave had obviously positively affected many of our members, and my thoughts are with his family and friends. RIP Newself.

So one time, at the bar in Long Beach where all the FT get-togethers seemed to occur at that moment in time, I walked in after a transcon and for some reaonn Dave sat me down and explained the secret to obtaining happiness in life to me.

He told me that happiness in life was about moments of pride. And that, at the end of the day, no one was proud of the money they'd made or the girls they'd laid. One was proud of the joy they had given others. Of the good they'd done for others.

And those of you who knew Dave know that look he could give. Of utter conviction. So that was that.

Yeah, he gave me that look as he said it. The man changed my life.

Eff you, death. You are a greedy basterd and I hate you.

thanks for that memory...
 

RIP Dave.

*sigh*

That's the second death I've heard of in the last hour and a half. It was already a crap night for me, and the news of these two deaths just adds to it. :(

RIP, newself.

I knew Dave only slightly, but it is evident that his passing is a horrible loss to many.

Condolences.

Im still thinking this is a dream and Newself will call to ask how Im doing and when I can get to Long Beach for Babes breakfast and beer at the Fishtail.

Still in shock but lots of good memories of him are coming back including the time he cleaned me up after an embarrassing incident. A friend would do that

Enjoy the Guinness in heaven Bud and we will see u later for a round.

Condolences. :(