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About |
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| Name | David Skinner |
| Date of Birth | March 25th, 1971 |
| Date of Death | August 29th, 2021 |
| Home Town | Iowa City, IA, US |
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published a tribute .
if anyone could get a hang of Angela i dont know her last name but she has two boys henry and roen and david and me used to get together with them all the time if anyone has her contact info please message my mom!: [email protected]
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2020 post on science and broccoli from Linkedin:
Sensors, data & understanding...they go so well together. This calibration data brings a special smile to those who know how science teams show diligence in choosing effective benchmarks. Vegetables such as these are not the systems of study, yet they are still useful to those who are resourceful. You can buy one at Safeway. https://lnkd.in/gEkwJR3
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2021 article on Covid Research from Linkedin:
https://cs.lbl.gov/news-media/news/2021/superfacility-model-brings-covid-research-into-real-time/
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December 1, 2020 posting on Linkedin:
"It's Giving Tuesday. Please consider helping a foodbank with a donation. They are seeing tremendous demand currently. Two good options are below. Thank you.
Contra Costa & Solano County: https://give.foodbankccs.org/LBNLcs
Alameda County (Select team LBNLcs): https://www.vfd-accfb.org/home.aspx"
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May 7, 2021 posting on Linkedin:
"Scientific data has many stakeholders. As a PI or participant in scientific research you can broaden your stakeholder horizons and the impact of your data using PuRe practices described here.
https://science.osti.gov/Initiatives/PuRe-Data/Resources-at-a-Glance
Office of Science (SC) Public Reusable Research (PuRe) Data Resources are data repositories, knowledge bases, analysis platforms, and other activities that make data publicly available to enable better communication, better stewardship, and better science.
When your project has data management planning (DMP) questions, talk to NERSC or your program manager about how to grow data impact through reuse. Durable DMPs that work for a wide range of stakeholders can foster data citation practices, give due credit for researchers, and inform system resource planning."
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Recommendations from Linkedin:
"David was one of the most interesting individuals I had the pleasure of both working with as well as socializing with during my tenure at NERSC. The breadth of his technical knowledge and skill, coupled with his ability to communicate those concepts clearly, was, for me, a true blessing."
"David helped us with the INCITE1 project, back in 2004. He is a delightful person to work with, and his knowledge of HPC is unrivaled."
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In 2021, NERSC raised $7,500 for the Food Bank of Contra Costa County. David had helped coordinate these drives.
"David Skinner, a gifted and highly regarded member of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) and the high performance computing community for more than 20 years, passed away unexpectedly in late August.
David came to Berkeley Lab and NERSC in 1999 as an HPC engineer after earning a Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. His research interests included quantum and semi-classical approaches to chemical reaction dynamics and kinetics, performance analysis of HPC science applications, and broadening the impact of HPC through science gateways.
But his contributions extended well beyond his multiple research projects, and he was keen to enhance the user experience at NERSC with next-generation ideas and vision. Early in his career David led the effort to enable and encourage NERSC users to employ software version control and was the architect of the Integrated Performance Management automated application performance tool that was used to profile the entire NERSC workload for a number of years.
David also helped facilitate the innovative Materials Project, which provides open, web-based access to computed information on known and predicted materials, along with powerful analysis tools to inspire and design novel materials. In addition, he pioneered the solution of science gateways at NERSC to advance research collaborations and data sharing among science teams. In the past few years, David was pushing these concepts further, leading efforts to make data stored at NERSC adhere to FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability).
Initially a consultant in NERSC’s User Services Group, David was promoted to group lead for the Open Software and Programming (OSP) group, and in 2014 became Strategic Partnerships lead, serving as NERSC’s liaison for industry partners and creating opportunities for facilities, science teams, and the private sector to utilize NERSC supercomputing resources in new and innovative ways. He was also key in promoting and supporting Berkeley Lab’s involvement in the U.S. Department of Energy’s HPC4Mfg program, leveraging his experience working with vendors through the DOE’s SBIR program to help connect industry partners with supercomputing resources at NERSC for research purposes.
He also spearheaded educational opportunities with legislators on Capitol Hill as NERSC’s advocate with the Society for Science at User Research Facilities (SSURF, formerly NUFO), a non-profit organization that works to advance the success and awareness of the nation's User Research Facilities through sharing best practices, facilitating professional training, promoting efficient data access, and engaging the scientific community. David was very involved with SSURF for more than a decade and regularly played a role in their annual meetings and related events.
“David was a forward-thinking member of our community, always one step ahead in terms of envisioning how new science communities could use HPC,” said Jonathan Carter, Associate Lab Director for Berkeley Lab’s Computing Sciences Area (CSA). “He was also a strong advocate for users, particularly those trying to integrate HPC into their experimental data workflows.”
Toward this end, David was instrumental in the development of the CSA’s superfacility concept. A decade ago, he established a partnership with the LCLS facility at SLAC, recognizing that their detectors and increasing data rates would soon need HPC-scale capabilities. He did similar early outreach with the Advanced Light Source and National Center for Electron Microscopy at Berkeley Lab. These partnerships, among others, are now at the core of the CS Area’s Superfacility Initiative. Similarly, David conceived the idea of incorporating APIs into an HPC facility in 2010, and with colleagues developed the NEWT framework, a toolkit for enabling web applications to seamlessly access HPC resources. This early deployment paved the way for today’s Superfacility API.
In addition to his many contributions to science and technology, David was passionate about helping others, both at the lab and in the wider community. He was a driving force in organizing and growing the CSA food drive during the COVID pandemic, and he was passionate about the Lab’s IDEA initiative; he was, for example, a member of, and ally to, the Latin American and Native American Employee Resource Group. He was also the face of the NERSC facility public tours (virtual and otherwise), where he was always eager to share his knowledge of the Lab and the ways in which HPC enhances and expands scientific discovery. Student outreach was another of his passions, and over the years he mentored multiple interns at the lab, always emphasizing the importance of working with students at all stages of their careers and lives.
“David was an intellectual leader at NERSC with a strong vision and commitment to serving the needs of the scientific user community,” said Kathy Yelick, former Associate Lab Director for CSA and former director of NERSC who worked with David for many years. “His ideas around the early ‘Science Gateways’ reflected his deep understanding of high-throughput data-analysis and simulation problems, where people run hundreds or thousands of jobs to explore a space of possible solutions. David was also a kind and generous member of the NERSC team who wanted to make HPC systems easier to use and more accessible to a broad range of users.”
In his 20 years at NERSC, David was a friend and mentor to so many colleagues at NERSC, Berkeley Lab, the HPC community, and beyond. He will be remembered for his enthusiasm for science, his willingness to entertain far out ideas, and his visionary ability to make connections between a wide range of concepts.
His kindness, inspiration, and support will be sorely missed."
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published a tribute .
its almost been one year on august 29th of this year firsts are always hard but one idea is to spread his ashes near the rope swing on the top of albany hill me and him used to go there all the time
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published a tribute .
David is still much missed at Berkeley Lab. We have been commemorating the anniversary of David's passing, talking about him and his ideas, the things he was passionate about and how we can keep his spirit alive in our work. I wanted to share two things we've done specifically to honor David's memory.
At LBL, we have a system of awarding "points" to acknowledge our colleagues - each week we can give points to someone who helped us, or who did really great work. When you have been given enough points, you can use them to "buy" a virtual reward. All of NERSC staff donated their points over the month of August so that we could dedicate a redwood tree on the LBL campus to David. This is the certificate of that award.
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That is the kind of memorial David would have loved. Thank you to everyone at NERSC.
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published a tribute .
At LBL, we've also been remembering David for his genius for making connections to people who are doing really cool science, and using computing to push the limits of human knowledge. At the recent Monterey Data Conference, we dedicated a session to his memory.
The theme of that session was Computing in Extreme Conditions - we invited speakers from NASA, the South Pole Telescope and neuroscience. It was entirely inspired by David, and it was a really fun and fascinating set of talks. I think he would have enjoyed it.
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published a comment .
Thank you for sharing that with our family. I is so good to remember the contributions he made during his too-short life. Such a creative and loving and generous person. I know. I am David's mother.
With gratitude for letting us know. Donna Skinner
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published a tribute .
also to the whole family and others that will be notified i go by he/him and my name is cam (short for cameron) not zoey i'm trans so yea i am cam now
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Wear Shoes. This plastic vial contains a big piece of jagged glass. On one side, adhesive letters spelling ‘Wear Shoes’ have been applied and on the other side is written April 24, 2020. I love this little reminder of David’s thoughtful silliness. Or silly thoughtfulness. Choose whichever you like.
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published a comment .
When I lived katy-korner from David et al, 2011-2016, Zoey walked around the neighborhood barefoot as often as wearing shoes--at least from what I observed hanging out on my stoop. And often walking by her dad. I hope one of her barefoot excursions didn't prompt David's warning!
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Part of a text exchange from February 2021. This was after a couple of very frustrating weeks of trying to get help through the Kaiser health program. David wasn’t overly focused on his own mortality but, as people do when they reach the half-century mark, we did discuss it occasionally.
This summer a contingent of Skinners will travel to Costa Rica to carry out David’s wishes. We plan to place some ashes near where Gene’s ashes were scattered. And some will go to the volcano David mentioned. Given that he might have died on that volcano - never gone to college, never been married or had his children, never contributed to the development of science - I am grateful it didn’t claim him. I think it deserves a little tribute now.
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Early August of last year David shared pizza with his friend Cherish. This is the last photo of him that I have and I like seeing his smile.
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Came across this Berkeley legend in the news. Ate the wild mushrooms pizza the day before Thanksgiving with David ages ago.
feed.httpss://www.kron4.com/trending/bay-area-restaurant-named-number-one-on-yelps-top-100-places-for-pizza/amp/
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Sunrise, Broken Arrow Park in Lawrence KS, late December 2021. Every time I go back to Kansas I’m struck by how big the sky is.
It’s four months since David died - this has been the worst year of my life. Spending the darkest days of 2021 in Kansas, under the big skies, among skeletal trees and dried grasses, I felt like the place matched me in this moment. Here’s to a better 2022 for us all.
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Dearest Beth, I found out by accident just now about David--I'm simply beside myself! I'm also desperate to reach you, Eric and your mom. I tried to call David to verify his mailing address and found out that his number wasn't working, then I emailed him, then googled for his work number--that's how I found the In Memoriam on the University website. Please feel free to email me--i have things to mail you guys. And it's love to catch up with your family. Sending you and the family every salty tear of grief that's coming out of my eyes right now. I can't imagine your loss! Love to you all--especially his kids! Xoxo [email protected]
Regards,
Tracy Schmidt
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Volcano Dave. In the summer of his 16th year David spent time traveling and teaching in Costa Rica where our family has many ties. As he was hiking on a volcano, as one does, the crust of the earth broke open and he was scalded with 3rd degree burns on both legs. He had to walk to a ranger station to get help. He ended up spending over a month in Costa Rican hospitals. David didn’t fill our parents in until he had been in the hospital for a week - he didn’t want them to worry. When he finally made it back to Garden City his friends greeted him with this banner.
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This is the most adventurous story--i can't believe that I never heard it before! Poor David--and your parents! But you're family has always had the most incredible strengths--and remarkably thoughtful natures! Thanks for sharing so many wonderful stories and photos, Beth!!!
Thank you Tracy and we all send you our love. I’ve been remembering your mom - she was such a great woman and a big part of my childhood memories.
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Today is David’s birthday and he would have been 51. I’m going to spend the day remembering him and sharing some photos, memories, etc.
This is a selfie he took at our house in November 2019. The dog is Mello, one of our fosters. Clearly she was a fan of David’s.
This was the last time we were together. Chris and I went to Africa soon afterward and then the pandemic hit. We were lucky that David often traveled to DC for work because we got to see him several times a year. Sometimes he stayed with us and sometimes we met in DC. I don’t remember all the details of this particular visit but I know we had a good hug at the end. David gave great hugs.
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I can’t see a Sasquatch and not see David. I’m absolutely relieved that he never lost his childlike wonder at the world coupled with a mind that probed the unfathomably complex. A topic we have not yet discussed is how he earned yet another one of his nicknames, “ Volcano Dave”. He not only ate things no one should eat, he also went places he shouldn’t have gone. Does anyone have a photo of tie dyed welcome home banner we made?
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published a comment .
I live down the block on Cornell in the 4-plex next to Codornices Creek. And I worked in the Computer Center at Berkeley Lab in the 70s and 80s, which gives me a sense of connection to David even though we didn’t cross paths there. I’m also a longtime friend of Sara Sunstein, who lived in the house on the NE corner of Dartmouth and Cornell for several years and was a friend of David's.
I remember how deeply moved I was the first time I saw the structure David had built and placed in front of his home last year filled with Black Lives Matter and other posters for neighbors to take and place in their windows. It was such a generous act of kindness in a very dark time. I smiled and touched the structure each time I passed by during my frequent walks in the neighborhood. I am grateful I had the opportunity to thank him and will continue to treasure that BLM poster. And each Summer David posted a sign inviting people to help themselves to plums from his tree; this year there was a pumpkin patch in his front yard for the neighborhood kids, which I enjoyed watching grow. If I wasn’t such a shy person, I sense I would have enjoyed having David as a friend.
published a comment .
Oh dear, I forgot to include the most important part of the message I just posted, which is to offer my condolences to David's family and his many friends. You have been in my heart since I heard the sad news. Joyce
Joyce, I'm a friend of the family and I can't thank you enough for sharing so much about your experience watching David--having never met him--i know that you know already that he was literally one of a kind! I just found out today, by accident that he died...
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published a tribute .
hi zee here if you guys know davids favorite animal please comment it my mom and me are discussing tattoos if she says yes im going to get a tattoo of dads favorite animal and des under it for david eugene skinner
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published a comment .
Your dad was such a curious and bright guy. He was interested in everything, so I cannot think of a particular animal. But in his final year he grew more and more interested in cats. Milo and Otis were a great comfort to him. He sent me dozens of pictures of them playing. He asked me to make cat toys for them. He had a couple of masks with cats on them. So maybe cats, but other people may have better ideas.
I nominate the tardigrade because its an interesting animal with a unique story. I bet David would have loved seeing you teach people about something in the natural world they weren't familiar with. He spent a lot of time at work, in the community and around the neighborhood teaching. Donna is also right that the cats meant a great deal to him so they'd be a good choice. A tattoo is forever so make sure you are really sure about it. Take your time and you will be happy with it for all the rest of your life. I'm working on a design for a similar tattoo for myself. If you all have questions about the process, finding a shop, etc. let me know.
published a comment .
yea im having a home visit on the 10th of december ill call you cause mom and me do need help finding a good artist and shop
Hi Zoey. David loved marmosets when he was in high school. I don't think he encountered them in Costa Rica (they don't live there naturally), but it was the nonhuman primate he would often talk about. Maybe he just liked saying it? I'm with Beth, tho. Tardigrades would also make an awesome tattoo to honor your Dad.
Posted elsewhere, but still. This is so cool: https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlyterrifying/comments/sj48hk/waterbears_being_born/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
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Tardigrades update : https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlyterrifying/comments/sj48hk/waterbears_being_born/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
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This is one of David’s very favorite photos. He loved being together with his kids. Thanks to Donna for sharing it.
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Lone Star Lake near Lawrence. Skinners have been there to fish, swim and relax since the mid-1960s. Donna shared with me that: “I remember wading out to fish with you (Beth) on my back in a jerry carrier, Erik in my belly kicking. Cars slowed down to gawk.”
In college I remember catching crawdads in the lake with David and Erik. We boiled them in a can and had a tiny picnic.
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Cat Bracelet. I made this and gave it to David. It was way too small for his wrist but I remember seeing him squeeze into it to show it off. As kids we had a cat named Cleopatra who freely wandered inside and out of the house. She was very loving and had many kittens. We also had at least one Siamese cat named Schwartz who came to us from Donna’s mother. Marie always named her Siamese cats Schwartz. Erik was the person Schwartz selected as his human.
There were often cats in David’s life - most recently Milo and Otis. In the last years of his life, David told both Donna and me that he was afraid that when the cats died he would be all alone. M&O are now living with Elliot and Kristin and look very happy when I see them on zoom. David would be so relieved to know that they found a good and loving home.
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Three marbles. I don’t know if they have any deep significance but they remind me that David was intrigued by light.
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These next few items are from David’s living room. I can’t say exactly what I was thinking of when I put them in my pocket - maybe just wanting to hold on to something that was part of his everyday life.
This is a 5 colon coin from Costa Rica dated 2007. For decades, our family has had close connections with dear friends in Costa Rica. Our families have grown together like two trees supporting each other. We have seen each other’s children born and grow. We have faced tragedy and loss together.
Donna was a teacher in CR in the 1960s. In the 1980s, she and Gene helped to start a Sister Cities relationship between Garden City and Ciudad Quesada. David and Erik spent time together backpacking around CR. I first traveled there in college with my parents for a Christmas vacation. Gene often traveled to CR in Februaries to live and help with farm chores. I think that was one of the things that gave him the greatest happiness. When he knew he was dying Gene asked that half his ashes be sent to the farm. All five of us repeatedly talked about moving to CR ‘in the future.’ Seeing this coin reminds me that the future is not guaranteed. I hope to be brave and wise enough to make future plans into current realities.
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Abaci. Here are a big one and a little one from David's office. A sticker attached to the big one follows.
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published a tribute .
guess what!ヾ(≧▽≦*) i have 8 days until my visit i get to come home!┗|｀O′|┛ im so pumped!
found some cute emojis too(╹ڡ╹ ) ヽ(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ)ノ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
(ʘ ͜ʖ ʘ)
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published a tribute .
today i actually enjoyed class and wrote some math and sceince and learned about how different chemicals produce diffrent colored like strontium carbonate colors them red calcium chloride colors them orange sodium nitrate colores them yellow barium chloride colors them green and blue fireworks are very expensive and hard to find but what colores them blue is copper chloride
i think dad would have been exited to hear that im learning and participating in sceince class
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Wow! I don't even know a lot of adults who could describe all of that. I will think about you next time I see fireworks. David would be so proud of you and happy that you were enjoying science.
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Donna writes:
In his teenage years David was active in helping me run the Five State Multicultural Conference. This was an educational meeting organized around efforts to help immigrants learn English, fit into US society, enroll in classes and understand American schools, police departments, health care, and other community services. The large annual conference at Garden City Community College benefited from David's interest, even then, in helping new refugees and immigrants to find their ways to a better life. David helped with the work of coordinating a large professional meeting and he recruited new Americans to attend and share their cultures.. His desire to help others continued throughout his life. This cup has the logo of the Five State Multicultural Conference. David proudly kept it on his desk at NERSC.
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Here are some of the books David kept at work. I think the books and stories and songs we keep around us are like passports. They show where our minds liked to visit.
1985 Abe Hubert Junior High yearbook
1989 Garden City High School yearbook
AD&D Fiend Folio 1981
Index to Ness Western Kansas by Minnie Dobbs Millbrook, compiled by Arlene (Schuler) Grinnell, typed by Kathy S. Borthwick
Civil War: Letters and Records of A.J. Walker, compiled in 1970 by Dora Belle Steffey, Recopied from her dittoes in 2011 by Donna Skinner
Ness: Western County Kansas by Minnie Dubbs Millbrook, 1955
This is Not a Pipe, Michel Foucault, 1982
A World to Win, Upton Sinclair, 1946
When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chödrön, 1997
Fermat’s Last Theorem, Amir D. Aczel, 1996
St. Thomas Aquinas on Politics and Ethics, translated and edited by Paul E. Sigmund, 1988
Culture and Value, Ludwig Wittgenstein, translated by Peter Winch, 1980
Beyond Freedom and Dignity, B.F. Skinner, 1972
A Happy Old Age, Eduardo A. Alvarez P., signed 7/19/91
The Way of the Cross, Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, edited by Rev. Louis F. Hartman, 1956
NERSC 2014 Annual Report
NERSC 2013 Annual Report
NERSC 2003 Annual Report
NERSC 2002 Annual Report
NERSC 2001 Annual Report
NERSC 2000 Annual Report
Scientific American, October 1986
Tools for High Performance Computing, edited by Holger Brunst et al, 2011
Integral, Measure and Derivative: A Unified Approach, G.E. Shilov and B.L. Gurevich, 1977
Stability by Liapunov’s Direct Method With Applications, Joseph La Salle and Solomon Lefschetz, 1961
Quantum Mechanics II: A Second Course in Quantum Theory, Rubin H. Landau, 1996
The Variation Method in Quantum Chemistry, Saul T. Epstein, 1974
Teen Guide to Homemaking, Canadian Edition, Marion S. Barclay and Frances Champion, 1968
Unix User’s Manual Reference Guide, 4.2 Berkeley Software Distribution, 1984
Operational Methods in Nonlinear Mechanics, Louis A. Pipes, 1965
The Fractal Geometry of Nature, Benoit B. Mandelbrot, 1983
In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Heinar Kipphardt, 1968
Collected Fictions Jorge Luis Borges, translated by Andrew Hurley, 1998
Electronic Computers, S.H. Hollingdale and G.C. Tootill, 1967
Bridges, Ben Butterfield, 1965
Vector and Tensor Analysis, G.E. Hay, 1953
Classical-Limit Quantum Mechanics and the Theory of Molecular Collisions, William H. Miller, from Advances in Chemical Physics, volume 25, 1974
Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein, 1991
Techniques in Program Structure and Design, Edward Yourdon, 1975 (with note: Dr. D. Skinner, 1106 Cornell from M. Freeman)
Logical Works I: Studies in Logic and Probability, George Boole, 1952
Philosophical Problems and Arguments: An Introduction, James W. Cornman and Keith Lehrer, 1974
Final-State Interactions, John Gillespie, 1964
Operations Research, 4th Edition, Hamdy A. Taha, 1987
Emerging Optimization Techniques in Planning and Control, Godfrey C. Onwubola, 2002
Engineering Mathematics Handbook, 3rd Edition, Jan J. Tuma, 1987
The Principles of Quantum Mechanics, 4th Edition, P.A.M. Dirac, 1991
Molecular Collision Theory, M.S. Child, 1996
The Variation Principles of Mechanics, 4th Edition, Cornelius Lanczos, 1986
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics with Applications in Chemistry, Linus Pauling and E. Bright Wilson, Jr., 1985
Statistical Physics, Part 2, Course of Theoretical Physics, Volume 9, E.M. Lifshitz and L.P. Pitaevskii, 1989
Plato: Collected Dialogues, Edited by Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns, 1973
Stability of Motion, A.M. Liapunov, 1966
Quantum Mechanics and Integrals, R.P. Feynman and A.R. Hibbs, 1965
Statistical Mechanics, Shang-Keng Ma, 1993
Tools for High Performance Computing, Edited by Matthias S. Müller et al, 2010
Scattering Theory of Waves and Particles, Roger G. Newton, 1982
Cristobal Colon, Eduardo A. Alvarez P., signed by the author 1991
El Fuerte de la Navidad, Eduardo A. Alvarez P. 1990, signed by the author 1991
Documentos sobre los restos de Cristobal Colon, Eduardo A. Alvarez P. 1990, signed by the author 1991
The Classical S-Matrix in Molecular Collisions, William H. Miller, 1975
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published a tribute .
zee here again,
if you guys can you should post pictures of selfies with dad or just send some to kristin so on my visit on the 6th she can send them to me
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published a comment .
anyone who can tribute to some more photos to kristin or on here would be great
I will look for those. Are you seeking any particular type of photos (like you and David together)?
published a comment .
i cant exactly go to the link mabye if you texted that link to mom that would be helpful
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The kind folks at the lab have sent me several boxes of personal items and books that were at David's workspace. My goal is to inventory and share them via this memorial page. There are lots of cool and quirky and serious items. I hope they provide opportunities to reflect on what David meant to us all. First up is a poem by Zoey, probably displayed on a wall near his desk where he could see it every day.
Lightning
You are so bright, so strong
You have so much power just in one strike
You go in every direction
You're almost so quick we only get a flash of you,
You could be on a hillside, or in a lake or a sea.
Lightning so bright, so strong.
by Zoey Skinner
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Tribute Playlist
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5DCmJeyiNrBJI5pcyH5USn?si=bH2XYc9MT4OnvL44D47pZQ
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/david-e-skinner-tunes/pl.u-ay0vtRA3q4v
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published a comment .
zee here
whats your spotifiy account or what account made the playlist im on a school chromebook and i cannot go to the link but ihave spotifiy on my phone
I’m trying to figure out why it’s not showing up in her playlist list. ??
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published a comment .
tardigrade also known as moss piglets they are a phylum of eight legged micro animals who live in puddles creeks and rivers
published a comment .
of course beth i love tartagrades also a great animal for animal guessing game
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published a tribute .
does anyone know where dads grey columbia fleece is its very important i was thinking mabye when he died it went to the mourge with him let me know if any of you figure it out
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published a tribute .
I will miss David, former coworker at NERSC. He always had the best Halloween costumes at work. I remember my favorite was when he collected a bunch of packing material we get at work and used them to sculpt a muscle man costume. He looked like a superhero.
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published a tribute .
I just found out about this. It’s quite upsetting.
My deepest condolences.
David was always very cool and kind with me, he was a wonderful Father and a great neighbor .
Much Love and Respect to the Family.
Kind Regards, Kent
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Three things David really enjoyed: the Farmer’s Almanac, eclipses and road trips. Use the first of these things to find the second and then plan the third. Maybe we’ll see each other out there.
https://www.almanac.com/astronomy/eclipse-dates
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Playlist. Zoey has posted a couple of songs and lyrics that she remembers her dad liking. Music is a fantastic way to share experience and memory. I’m asking anyone who remembers a song, artist, etc. that they associate with David to share that. I will put together a playlist based on your memories and reflections. Thanks friends.
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REM- Document. Maybe Finest Worksong or One I Love
B52’s - Rock Lobster
XTC - Skylarking. Earn Enough for Us or Supergirl
I will cross post on FB
Negativland, especially "Time Zones" -- David introduced me to Negativeland and said that was the song that got him hooked. There's another Negativeland track off "A Big 10-8 Place" that describes a journey from San Francisco to somewhere in the east bay, and when David came out to California we followed the cryptically described route. David didn't have a car so I drove and he navigated according to the lyrics, with great delight as we discovered all the refererencs, such as the “big chairs” the cranes at the port of Oakland. We eventually found "Safe Muffins" (a Safeway) in Martinez in Contra Costa County and followed the song up a street to what was the childhood home of one of the band members (who was requesting you to rent a steam vac to clean the carpet). If you ever heard David talk about "Safe Muffins" that was the source.
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published a tribute .
hi its zoey my account had a mess up so im posting without an account
When we arrive, sons and daughters
We'll make our homes on the water
We'll build our walls aluminum
We'll fill our lives with cinnamon now
These currents pull us across the border
Steady your boats, arms to shoulder
Till tides all pull our hull aground
Making this cold harbor now home
Take up your arm
Sons and daughters
We will arise from the bunkers
By land, by sea, by dirigible
We'll leave our tracks untraceable now
When we arrive, sons and daughters (when we arrive, sons and daughters)
We'll make our lives on the water (we'll make our lives on the water)
We'll build our walls aluminum
We'll fill our mouths cinnamon
When we arrive, sons and daughters (when we arrive, sons and daughters)
We'll make our homes on the water (we'll make our homes on the water)
We'll build our walls aluminum (we'll build our walls aluminum
We'll fill our mouths with cinnamon (we'll fill our mouths with cinnamon)
(We'll fill our mouths with cinnamon)
When we arrive, sons and daughters (when we arrive, sons and daughters)
We'll make our homes on the water (we'll make our homes on the water)
We'll build our walls aluminum (we'll build our walls aluminum)
We'll fill our mouths with cinnamon (we'll fill our mouths with cinnamon)
(We'll fill our mouths with cinnamon)
When we arrive, sons and daughters (when we arrive, sons and daughters)
We'll make our homes on the water (we'll make our homes on the water)
We'll build our walls aluminum (we'll build our walls aluminum)
We'll fill our mouths with cinnamon (we'll fill our mouths with cinnamon)
(We'll fill our mouths with cinnamon)
We'll build our walls aluminum, now
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs, they fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs, they fade away
Here all the bombs, they fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
Here all the bombs fade away
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Such a great song by the Decemberists. I know your Dad really liked it too, Zoey.
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A birthday present from the amazing Z in 2020. Her dad treasured these handmade works of art and shared them often. I will try to remember this one when David’s birthday rolls around in March.
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An email from David, June 3, 1999. Context: Although I was attending grad school at the University of Michigan, Amy and I had been living in California (on location with my experiment) while David was attending grad school at Berkeley. Amy worked at Pacbell some of that time. In June 1999 I was back in Michigan finishing up grad school and about to move to the Chicago area.
Dear Brian and Amy,
Well it's Christmas time again and our thoughts turn to family, friends, and fruitcake. This has been such a rewarding year for the Skinner family. Our son Jesse will be graduating soon, but first will be spending a year studying abroad in Madrid. Little Laura has taken on a job she enjoys. She
works for a undercover investment research firm. They schooze w/ employees and ceo's of companies to get info and then sell it to stock investor people. Still no word from our eldest, Dan. But we trust he is well. Laura and Jesse are excited about the little one on the way.
> Furbees don't learn, it was all a hoax to sell more furbees. Did I tell
> you that already? They admitted it because the bomb labs banned furbees
> from classified areas. I guess the bomb maker paper weight market is
> very important to the manufacturers of Furbee.
It'd be interesting to see what kind of bombs you'd build by listening and decoding the instructions of a bomd maker's furbee. Actually, it would be interesting to just spend a day doing whatever your furbee told you to do.
> So how is Kristin's science project coming along? Have the parents
> moved in yet? And have you noticed any weather lately? When will you
> next be in Chicago?
The science project is kicking right along. Kristin is a little more tired these days, but otherwise healthy.
Day 1460...still no weather.
Kristin wanted me to mention to you that there something in the paper out here about a class action law suit against pac bell by women employees. I don't know what the qualifications are outside of that. Just remeber though she gets a finder's fee of 10%, or the hamster dies!
Good luck on the thesis defense. One piece of advice I have for the exam is to load up on Olestra right before. I hear it helped Marc McGwyer with his baseball hitting.
> You should listen to Lizard Music if you don't already.
I found some Lizard Music on the net, sounds interesting. I listened to about 10 seconds of "Sugar" and "Hatsong". Interesting but short.
Do you listen to the Lounge Lizards? John Lurie, man can he fish or what! There's this show called "Fishing with John" on the Independent Film Channel that's probably the best thing on TV.
Take Care,
David
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Skinner Committee to Fight Redundancy Committee
Committee to Fight Redundancy Committee David Skinner
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published a tribute .
So very sad to hear this. David was a wonderful person, extremely well respected in our industry. He will be missed!!!
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published a tribute .
Last visit of the Skinner family in Costa Rica in the Caribbean (Limon) near the beach. It was great to see them here, and we hope to see everyone again soon.
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Nuestros corazones están con nuestra familia costarricense. Mi hermano David los amaba tanto a todos y sabía que lo tenían en sus corazones. Te deseamos salud y paz hasta que podamos volver a vernos.
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published a tribute .
La familia Vargas en Costa Rica tiene muchos bellos recuerdos con nuestra querida familia Skinner, desde las aventuras con Gene (Abuelo Nitingo) hasta las agradables visitas de Donna, Elizabeth, Erick, David y toda la tribu Skinner.
En memoria de David compartimos esta fotografía de su paso por Costa Rica.
Le extrañaremos mucho siempre, al igual que a Gene.
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published a comment .
Zoey I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. We remember him fondly from the neighborhood. You and Luna spent so much time together when you were little! We miss seeing you around and will miss him too.
published a comment .
Zoe, I’ve been thinking of you a lot lately. I really appreciated your father. I really appreciate you and your family!
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published a tribute .
David was integral to Tours of NERSC at Berkeley Lab. He was a frequent "go-to" for in-person visits and created and frequently lead the virtual tour of NERSC when the pandemic began. We dedicated today's tour to David, and honored him with some notes at the beginning and end of the tour. I have a record of this, if you would like (it's a large file).
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That’s perfect - he really loved doing those tours. I’d love to get that file - my email is [email protected]. Thank you Kevin.
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In case you can’t read it, this is a Disciplinary Referral from Abe Hubert Junior High School in Garden City Kansas dated 4/26/85. The comment reads:
“David was asked several times to put a balloon in his pocket or throw it away; but he continued to sit and pop it & chew on it. David instructed to NEVER bring balloon to school; also strongly warned that ignoring teacher’s instructions are [sic] grounds for suspension for defiance to [sic] authority. Consider detention. G.S.”
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Suspension for defiance to authority - LOL - when is put like that, who could take it seriously?
David was a life long learner, in spite of G. S.
published a comment .
This makes me laugh. I was David's manager for a time at Berkeley Lab and I quickly learned, despite my best efforts, that he was not going to be managed.
I love this! I am a colleague of David's from Berkeley Lab. As well as being brilliant, and having a healthy disrespect for authority, David was kind and thoughtful with an uncanny knack for connecting topics and people. We'll really miss him.
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published a tribute .
Each morning in Chicago I awake to the sight of what has become one of my all-time favorite possessions: a poster gifted to me by David that reads, through pictographs, “Planet over Profit.” While the aphorism neatly summarizes the foremost principle I aspire to embody today, I credit David with shaping aspects of my character that only hindsight has revealed are fundamental to the realization of the person I am still becoming.
Our Dartmouth Street community was special for its continual and collective indulgence of the spirit of childhood whimsy. Though seldom avowed, this commitment was fulfilled chiefly by the mischief we sowed to embellish afternoons and evenings that would have otherwise remained nondescript. While we all became its purveyors in one way or another, David was the origin of mischief. His memory persists into the beyond through those of us within whom he instilled a distinctive zeal for what can be discovered in the seemingly ordinary.
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published a tribute .
David was our neighbor and was always inventing great family activities during our legendary block party events. He taught and played Dungeons and Dragons for hours with the kids! He was kind and we shall miss him. Here is a picture of him thinking up the next block party activity!
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published a tribute .
Who told David he ought to cultivate an irrational fear? He chose scurvy. Was it a costume party that we went to in East Lawrence, or did I just decide to dress like a little boy and David decided to dress like an arsonist? We left soon after he set the lawn on fire. Where did he get those teeth he wore in addition to his own teeth that night we went out in Berkeley? He had a whole persona to go with them. One night David and Megan went for a walk towards Mass St., each of them wearing a skirt and no shirt. Megan got a ticket but David didn't. One afternoon David and I were screaming and leaping over gullies down by the Kansas River, and mid-scream-leap David's pants split along the crotch. We kept screaming and leaping and I forgot about it until we went through a drive-through on the way home and he asked to borrow my jacket to put across his lap so the drive-through person wouldn't have to call the police. Is it true that all of the Skinner siblings have Eugene for a middle name?
So quirky, so brilliant, but David was just conventionally kind. He and Kristin visited me in Montana (I remember floating the Blackfoot together), and maybe it was that trip or maybe some other one where David and I went for a hike, and my truck got a flat tire and David was immediately in the dirt under my truck changing it. The trail went through patch after patch of nettles and our bare legs got stung so much we couldn't stop giggling. I remember a Spanish-language conversation on a friend's balcony where he said things that simply made me feel comfortable in my own skin (don't remember what he said, just the impact) and grateful to know him. Staying with David and Kristin in Davis when I was going to a thing at Berkeley and David coaching me on how to ride the train with a bike using his pass and act like I did this every day. A stroll to a neighborhood playground in Albany when his daughter was just little and his reflections on parenthood.
Thank you, David, for walking through the world they way you did. I miss having you here.
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Lindsay, I know you only secondhand but David told me many, many stories of your adventures together. I know you were very important to him.
published a comment .
Yeah, I didn't want to include the full photo without checking in with you, Jon, and then I forgot to check in with you.
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A memorial article from David’s work colleagues.
https://www.nersc.gov/news-publications/nersc-news/nersc-center-news/2021/in-memoriam-david-skinner/
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Hello friends. I’d like to share with you an invitation to an event celebrating David’s life. It will be Sunday, September 19 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm in the 1200 block of Dartmouth in Albany 94706.
David was well known for bringing science projects to neighborhood block parties. Many kids, and adults, remember him for making huge tubs of oobleck to play with. The event is outdoors - please remember to take appropriate precautions including wearing a mask.
For those who can’t make it but want to send a card to the family the address is:
2203 Maritime Way
Richmond CA 94804
A food drive has been established to honor David’s values of kindness and social responsibility. Those who wish to learn more can visit
https://give.foodbankccs.org/team/377625
An online memorial site has been established to share photos, stories and tributes.
https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/DavidSkinner/
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David's boundless spontaneity was well know. While exploring a Bay-area beach in 2019, we came upon a jellyfish that had washed up on the shore. Dave flopped onto the ground next to it, asking me to take a photo, as if he and the jellyfish had both washed up. Then he had me text him the photo so he could have it ready for a future reveal . . .
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Yosemite National Park, mid-1990's, moments after the other photo I posted.
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Ah, Chris Owen. Another rabble rouser. I’m glad to see that has survived. I had one on my bumper until the late 90’s.
I still have one on a guitar case at my mom's. I also had the key to PO Box 12 for many years, until they changed the lock.
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David’s thoughtful colleagues and friends at work have set up a food drive in his honor. For several years, he organized an office fundraiser to benefit a local food bank. He would be proud if he could see us being kind to each other.
“In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in David’s honor to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County. https://give.foodbankccs.org/team/377625”
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Today I had a chance to meet a dozen of David’s friends from his local pub on Solano in Albany. What a fantastic opportunity that was for me to see my brother through his friends. They are amazing people - artists, scientists, musicians and more. Those friends saw David through some hard times. And they saw the real him. I am grateful.
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I don’t remember if I posted it here but I have address to which cards can be mailed.
There are three extra spaces inserted in the mailing address (to confound bots). Use your human brain and decide how to solve the puzzle…
2203 Mari time Way
Ri chmond California 94 804
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An email from David Skinner, January 21, 2009:
Subject: I tasted Bitrex.
I got a bottle of acetone that proudly boasts a "with Bitrex" label. I tasted what remained on my finger once the acetone had evaporated. This was not a pleasant experience. It made me hate my mouth. I now understand what "No!" tastes like. It makes quinine seem like candy.
-David
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published a comment .
My condolences to David’s family. I’m sad to know of David’s passing as we were close friends. I’m at lulagilbert23@gmail /che porter on Facebook. I would certainly like to stay in touch with the family. Z, I think of you often. You are in my heart. David lives on through the love of his friends and family I was honored to be his friend.
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In high school David somehow squired a Van De Graaff generator. He made everyone “play” with it as we all laughed wildly at our hair standing on end. No surprise that he had a Fresnel lens as a toy.
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Yosemite national Park, mid-1990's. David, Kristin, Amy and I camped on the valley floor and hiked around from camp. David ate moss off a tree for reasons known only to him.
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published a tribute .
A simple memory - I remember how excited I was when David asked me if I wanted to see the Super Computers in Downtown Oakland.
I jumped at the opportunity!
Rest in peace, David - you're forever a super computer to me
Ira Serkes
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This photo was taken with a small digital camera my wife Amy had during a visit to David and Kristin and Elliot and Nathan in Davis in 2002. We melted many things with a giant Fresnel lens.
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published a tribute .
i had many, many great conversations with this most beautiful man. the conversations were great because he spoke slowly, sometimes quietly, stopping to gather his thoughts mid sentence sometimes. often wearing a slight smile, usually a twinkle in his eye. he spoke about work, about observances while riding the train, about his children mostly. he loved children so much. his own so very much, but also he would ask me so many questions about teaching in oakland. he loved hearing about what science we were working on, how they perservered, etc. he was genuine, kind, someone who would truly listen to you.
he would stand up to rudeness, hold the door for people, and he was so handsome. i had a massive secret crush on him. i was always so happy when he walked into the room, because i knew the next few hours of my day would be so interesting. rest in peace, dear david.
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Your Dad loved you so much and was so proud of you. Earlier this summer he sent me a picture of you in the mountains, smiling in the sun. The caption was ‘Short but spectacular hike with the amazing Z.’
published a comment .
Dear Zoey, I’m so very sorry to hear about your father’s passing. He meant the world to our family, in particularly, of course, to Jeremy. We’ll miss his wonderful spirit, openness, and warmth.
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Poster from the KU Debate Squad Room where David was ever a welcome guest (circa 1990).
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Not sure why all of the road trip memories are coming back, but here’s another. As usual, loaded up in the Caravan, a big group headed to the chalk pyramids. We were hiking around and I suddenly felt a burning stabbing pain in my ankle. I looked up and David was firing Roman candles from a cliff. I looked down and watched saw a hole burned through my boot, when I pulled it off, I had been hit with a burst. Third degree burn. David jumped down, nearly crying and penitent. Vodka was poured on it and since I was maybe the only one sober, I drove us all home. I still have a scar, but good times! It’s possible that on that same trip Sean Johnson took an unauthorized photo of me that I have not entirely forgiven him for.
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I just remembered another road trip story that involved staying with you, Beth, at your apartment in Lawrence. A bunch of us loaded up in the caravan and went off to visit. I, myself, lied and told me mom that we were going to be timekeepers at Kidney. We slept on your floor and that was probably when you taught me to play spades or some other card game. The details are blurry, but it was a fun adventure.
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Yes! Spades is integral to speech and debate in Kansas. David’s friends were always so much cooler than mine lol.
We all thought you were totally cool! I still do. Once a debate nerd always a debate nerd.
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Michael Schneider to Donna Skinner
“Hi Donna,
Very sorry to hear about your loss. I remember how often we used to come over to your house in Garden City. David was always good for some quirky and interesting conversation. So many people are losing loved ones to Covid, it's very sad. May your 2022 be looking up.
Michael”
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published a comment .
I admired David’s hands on teaching science to kids like the many concoctions he made for kids to tinker at the block parties. I personally saw and admired all the thought, love and effort he put on parenting. He was also of course very smart and willing to share his insightful and informed opinions. I will miss having him in the neighborhood. My heart goes out to your family.
published a comment .
I echo Hokulani’s comment. I remember David’s contribution to many block parties and his open minded conversations.
I thought his kids were lucky to grow up with hand’s on projects supervised by their dad.
I hear there is talk of having a block party to remember David. That’s brilliant - exactly what he would have wanted.
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From Kathy and Gene Schneider to Donna and family:
“We too feel devastated at the news of David's death. We knew him as a brilliant student in Garden City, and as a dedicated husband and father who had earned a prized position at the Berkeley National Labs. We grieve for and extend our deepest empathy and sympathy to you, your grandchildren, children and your ex-daughter-law. Recovery to whatever degree possible from a shock like this will be painstaking and slow. Given that the Covid delta variant is rampant here too, we understand the isolation and resulting depression which David experienced. It affects us all. No amount of self-medication could have cured that, and no amount of empathy from friends and relatives can fill he void you all feel now.”
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This is from a road trip we took in the Club Spicy van during senior year spring break. The round trip took us to Las Vegas and back, stopping at anything that took our interest along the way. After seeing many dinosaur-themed decorations, we stopped and posed at a few of them.
During the trip, we noticed we were approaching the National Four Corners Monument where Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico meet. We decided that when we got there, we would visit the monument plaque, but not actually stand over all four states at once. Perhaps two or three at a time, but not all four. Then, when we actually got there, the exhibit was closed for some reason, with nobody there. We then changed our plans and decided that we WOULD in fact stand over the four corners. Don't tell us not to do something we weren't going to do anyway! So we parked the van, hopped the gate, and wandered to the four corners plaque and stood on it. Then headed back to the van and continued on our way.
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Thank you all for sharing the memories. I’ve never heard even a quarter of these stories but they all seem very David to me now. What a beautiful life he lived. What beautiful friends he had.
I wanted to share an update about the question of the cause of David’s death. First, it’s a very normal question to have. Humans brains like asking how and why. They like to connect the things we experience into orderly arrangements so we can understand ourselves and our world. We get frustrated by uncertainties. It’s ok to ask the question.
So, here’s what we know from the most recent communication (between the coroner’s office and Kristin and Elliot) as relayed to me. There is no definitive answer now. Covid times are rough times for coroners. They are so backlogged that they will not even be able to do the examination for another week or two (they originally said 4-6 days). After that there may be tests that take weeks or months process. The bottom line is wait and see. Of course, this is frustrating to hear, and painful for those of us waiting.
For me, the situation has helped clarify what matters. How important is the manner of death? It won’t make a difference in my missing him every moment of the day. It won’t stop me crying myself to sleep then waking up to all the breath being knocked out of me. It won’t soothe me to know how and it can’t hurt me more than I already hurt. My world will always have an enormous David-shaped hole in it no matter how that hole got there.
I care way more about how he lived than how he died. That’s why it helps to share these memories.
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Thank you for the update and your wise words. It does just keep hitting over and over, but every time I think of him it always brings a smile to my face (or a chuckle). There is no way to remember him and be sad. Missing him is another thing entirely. He will always be missed. My love to you, Beth.
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published a tribute .
David was an iconoclast, brilliant, and an excellent friend. We met in Garden City, Kansas during the late 80s. His passion for science meant that all of his friends needed a basic understanding of chemistry and physics. He taught us regularly and included his friends in experiments he was conducting. We were often assistants to his science projects and, occasionally, test subjects.
David also excelled in the forensic arts, as in an argumentative exercise like debate and extemporaneous speaking. Many of us know him from his debate/public speaking/theatrical performance excursion in high school that gave structure to his rational and creative abilities of communication.
I was fortunate to know David beyond high school. We were both undergrads at KSU. Sean and David pretty much moved into the flat Dan Lee and I had during their freshman year. David absconded a pine box coffin from the garden city high school and it held a mélange of cocktail fixings behind the bar at that EPIC site of Club Spicy. I always considered the coffin rent paid in full.
Beyond college, I was lucky to have been living in San Francisco when he arrived in Berkeley. There were many adventures in those years, our late 20s. There was a lot of time spent with great friends like Amy & Brian, some outrageous parties, and tours of the labs where David did his graduate work.
We parted ways as he became solidly academic and I hedonistic. Just kind of dropped out of touch. Stories that shouldn't be included here, but I'm happy to tell if you want to know, include Keys to the high school, explosive art, mud lava pots of Costa Rica, a lost night in an Ethiopian nightclub, charming the Chinese Mafia, and the origin of Club Spicy.
I'm sorry for the loss of this man. He was a good friend of mine.
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Well said. And you are absolutely right about the other stories. Somethings are best kept to ourselves. I will throw out the words “pipe bomb” just for kicks.
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published a tribute .
David was one of the most fascinating people I have ever known. He was instrumental in keeping our lives growing up in a small town full of adventure. I have so many memories of those times and David was right at the center of them. He definitely forever defined minivans as “cool” for all of us. Love and blessings to his whole family.
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I don't expect that I'll ever forget that white minivan! So many fun memories involving it.
Oh, I’d love to hear the stories! We have many, but only from college days.
Like, the time David got howlingly drunk at a Club Spicy party, then disappeared for a few hours, then returned with a chainsaw he’d picked up somewhere along his journey. Had no idea where he’d gotten it.
I don’t think I was around for the white minivan. I remember the wood paneled Dodge Caravan.
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Yes! The Dodge caravan. Too many crazy half-memories from those days. My kids' HS days weren't half as exciting as ours, though I have a middle schooler that may give us a run for our money.
The Dodge Caravan was the original Club Spicy. David and I grabbed sub sandwiches somewhere in Garden City, before Subway was a thing. He got the Club sandwich with a black sticker to keep the deli paper wrapped. I got the spicy Italian with a purple Spicy sticker. He put them on the rearview mirror as Spicy Club. I rearranged them and Club Spicy was born.
I never heard the origin behind club spicy. That is cool. You’ve been sorely missed sir, by the way.
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Welcome to David’s online memorial. We hope you will share photos, stories and reflections that celebrate his life.
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Thanks for setting this up. It seems like a simple to navigate platform for us to share and comment.
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I have many memories of David growing up as a kid in Garden City. Kansas. In Junior High, we attended an All-Star Retreat, a lock-in with former famous athletes where we broke into small groups, had discussions, did activities: all in an effort to explore topics we didn't normally, embrace our vulnerability, and come together in a deeper bond of sorts. I remember an activity where we all were seated on the floor, taking turns describing what our ideal date would be. Most kids talked about going out to eat at McDonald's or going to the movies. When it was my turn, I responded about wanting my date to pick me up, carrying a single rose. We would ho to the flower garden at the zoo and have a picnic while lying there and listening to some music. Flash forward a few years and I finally of dating age. David asked me on my first date. My mother condones the date while my father is out of town. David shows up at my house mid-afternoon with a single rose. I thought it odd but dismissed it will little thought, accepting the rose. I asked where we were going. He told me it was a surprise. We drove to the rose garden at the zoo. He was a perfect gentleman and opened my door for me. He led me to a clear spot where there was a blanket laid out on the ground with a picnic basket in one corner and a boom box in another. We had fruit and cheese that David explained that his sister and mother had set up and prepared for us. The mixed tape was made by his brother using connections he had with friends who worked at the radio station. The whole family came together to create my silly little girl dream date. David was so kind and gentle. Frankly, the experience scared me as I recalled that he must have listened to my rambling at the All-Star retreat and put the information in his mental rolodex. I was marveled that he remembered. We dated for a spell and then remained friends through high school. He was always dependable. He was always up for a good adventure. He wasn't hesitant to try new things. If you had an idea, Davis would jump into action without hesitation and with reckless abandon. No challenge seemed impossible. Regardless of the task at hand, David would jump into problem solving mode instantly before anyone else had started to give something a second thought. He threw caution to the wind. He was wreckless and exciting at the same time. You knew that there was an element of danger or unknown with David's ideas, but the thrill of the excitement and wonder kept you in the game with him. He set a tone for me personally as to how I would accept a man to treat me in the future. He set a high bar that many never achieved.
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I remember that retreat. It was fun sleeping in the school. I forget what the student leaders were called, but David was chosen as one and he awkwardly did the job, but we dubbed them brown shirts. Ready position for learning! In retrospect we were being brainwashed in a sense. I wonder if they still have those retreats. We snuck into the debate room and avoided much of it.
All Stars - conservatives were spreading the seeds of fascism even in the 1980s. But didn't David play along and buck that system brilliantly?
Sweet story about the date, Barb. He was thoughtful like that.
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This is the Dartmouth street block party from September 2014. David set out a big tub of oobleck.
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I remember the oobleck as a kid! It was truly so cool I always thought David was such a genius! Such a fun, friendly, and smart man.
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Our Senior year, I threw an epic party that was never meant to be. It was supposed to be a small gathering of our friends while my dad was out of town. David seized the moment, somehow coordinated getting massive speakers in the house with Ben Sheppard, alcohol from the far corners of the universe, and people everywhere. He ran some kind of experiment involving lining up poker chips on every blade of the ceiling fan before turning the fan and watching the poker chips fling everywhere. He was delighted with his accomplishment. The next night of the party, he was outside grilling chicken on the grill. He looked Iike a suburban dad, playing King of the grill. After sharing the chicken with anyone who would try it, he wondered what else could be grilled. I believe he would have grilled anything he could get his hands on. Luckily, he was intoxicated enough that he didn't bring to fruition any other plans. If you have ever seen the War Games or Weird Science movies, David was a real life version of those boys. I have no doubt that David could do anything, from create another life form to hack into a computer system and play global chess with Russian warheads. He was one of the most brilliant people I knew. I was envious of his free spirit and his zest for answers. But I loved most his inquisitiveness as he went through the process of elimination or experimentation with each new challenge. David, may your star shine bright forever more!!
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Photo credit Sean Johnson. We spent a million nights at the River. One time David had a huge bottle of everclear or vodka and the cops showed up. They asked who had purchased the alcohol for us. David said a friend of his brother. They asked for a name and he said, “Michael Stipe”. They made him pour it out and left us alone.
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I was there that night, I remember the cop asking how old Michael Stipe was and where he lived. We all just smiled.
I think he said Salina! Lol. We probably looked apoplectic trying not to laugh.
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I have so many little movie-like memories, some of the funniest take place at the kitchen table at David's parent's house. One such little scene is from a time when David was working on Odyssey of the Mind and the kitchen was bustling with activity. David's mom Donna came in to wipe off the table with a rag, not knowing there was a little bit of tetryl (a friction sensitive explosive) left dusted on the table. The tetryl of course popped in a series of cacophonous mini ignitions and she emitted a tiny scream and said, "Damnit David, I wish you wouldn't leave explosives on the table!" I'm sure every mom has said that sort of thing to her teenager at least once.
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That was the last time we saw him, and I remember your little one running to David because he was her favorite person even though she’d known him for just a few days. What a great day that was!
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I think we asked him to try the larvae to see if they really tasted like bacon bits. There was a group failure to note they should have been dried first.
I also remember a girl shaping clouds of those flies with her hands, declaring she was a god.
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These photos are from a trip Amy and I took with David in the mid 90’s to Yosemite and Mono Lake. We camped at a campground between the two and were surprised there were no bear boxes when we set up, but we assumed this indicated there were no bears around. When we got back to camp that evening, David asked the host about it. No, she told us, just the previous night a bear came into camp and threw a padlocked fridge around until it broke open and all the food came out. Then it poked around camp looking for more before finally going back to the fridge and tossing it around again to see if anything else came out. Maybe that’s why there were camping spots.
We visited Mono lake (with its unnaturally blue waters and the white tufa towers) and upon reading how high the salinity was, David waded out into the lake to see how easy it would be to float. The lake shore is thick with a kind of tiny harmless fly, and David also tried some fly larvae after reading it had been a staple for earlier locals and that they supposedly tasted like bacon bits. I’m not sure how he missed the part about them drying the fly larvae first. He was not fond of the taste.
There were no showers at the camp, and as the Mono Lake water dried on David’s skin he started to question how wise it had been to float in the lake. Perhaps it served as a bear repellent though, as no bears visited that night. Or the bear was just full. The following day we were hiking in Yosemite and an unleashed overly friendly dog came along and licked all of us. After licking David's leg it abruptly stopped licking, and then wandered off making ack sounds and trying to clear its tongue.
I recall the photo of half dome near sunset — we were at a stop along the road, and while I was taking photos David started to kindly and politely explain to two small children all the reasons why they shouldn’t feed the squirrels. Their dad eventually realized what was happening, and was upset someone else was telling his children what to do, but couldn’t figure out exactly what about it was upsetting to him. It was a strange negotiation between him and David, where mad dad seemed to be trying to negotiate something to be mad about, and David was not really providing anything. He left in frustration.
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I remember that trip very well! Including trying to trick David into thinking there might be a bear pawing at his tent.
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Half dome from the Yosemite trip with David, mentioned previously.
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