Dave and I met in sixth grade when I moved to Overland Park. I played Aunt Polly to his Tom Sawyer in the sixth-grade play. That started years of teasing between us, but then in ninth grade my dad died. Dave shocked me when he not only came to the funeral, but he came up to me afterwards and gave me a hug and talked with me. I don't think he ever knew what a soft spot he held in my heart after that. I just wish I had known he was sick, so I could have returned that hug and given him the same comfort he gave me so long ago. His death still makes me very sad. For me, our graduating class is incomplete without him.
Lillian, your story showed what a great guy Dave was. I remember his smile and style. You are correct, it is a shame he is not here. His absence will be missed at the reunion.
Oh Dave, I remember our theatre class together in High School, what fun we had! I also remember you helping me pick out a pair of jeans when you worked at the "Bannana" (????) at Oak Park Mall. Happy Trails my friend! ~Darby
I have missed Dave since the moment I knew he was gone. His smile, his voice, and his drive to experience and be a passionate person who lived life to it's fullest!
I got to know Dave mostly through being officers together in StuCo; he has always held a very special place in my heart. There are two memories that I cherish. The first is a trip we four StuCo officers took to a leadership conference in San Antonio (Dave, Dana Tait, Barbie Baum, and me). I had never flown on a plane before. I was surprised (and bewildered) at the time that Dave was so excited that it was going to be my first flight. He made sure I got the window seat, then sat next to me to point out everything we would be able to see from ?-thousand feet in the air. We all had a lot of fun on the trip, and really enjoyed working together through the school year. I never imagined that I ran in the same social circles as Dave (whatever I perceived them to be), but he was always very kind, funny, and sweet to me, which meant a lot at the time, going through high school in my "plain Jane" world. He was kind of like a rock star, I thought. I look back now and wonder how much of his public persona was really who he was; I think there was a lot that Dave kept away from everyone, which makes me sad for him.
My other fond memory of Dave is the summer after we graduated. I worked down in Versailles, MO every summer, at YMCA Camp Gravois (in the Ozarks). One day, out of the clear blue, I saw this great-looking, blond, tan guy ambling across the camp from the parking lot. He was wearing a dark green t-shirt and pale yellow shorts--absolutely gorgeous. He apparently was with his family and staying in the area; on a lark, he had decided to see if he could surprise me "at work". I was stunned, and he thought that was very funny. We spent the afternoon hanging out, touring the camp, talking and laughing. That visit meant the world to me, I think because it was so unexpected and very sweet. Strangely, after I hugged him goodbye that day, I didn't see him or talk to him again for 10 years. He went off to Texas and I went to Baker and that was that. (Life before email, texting, and Facebook).
We met up again at our 10th year reunion, when Dave was selling real estate in Nashville. It was great to see him then. He seemed like he was on top of the world and looked like a million bucks...again. We both acted like we were seeing long-lost family, which is funny when I look back on the level of friendship we had shared--we were good friends because we had worked together, but not extremely close. Still, it was wonderful to see him. It wasn't long after that when Gretchen Thomas called me to tell me he had passed. His death has haunted me ever since, and I wish I had known his family well enough to have talked to them then. I'll never know exactly why or how Dave Schmidt and I hit it off so well for such a small part of our lives, but I am grateful that our paths did cross. Those memories have truly shaped the way I look at the world. Thanks, Dave.
A part of me died the day I heard Dave had gone. I always imagined that someone so full of life would live forever. We sang together. Dave could really sing.
Dave and I met when we were in the 7th grade at Nallwood Junior High. We would play golf together in the summers. After college I lost contact with Dave as I moved to California. My late wife and I went to a bible study in our church in CA in which Dave's cousin and his wife were a part of and we got reconnected through them. After my wife passed away of cancer Dave sent the most incredible letter to me that was from his heart. He obviously was in touch with his own mortality and was able to express himself in a profound way. He passed away just a short amount of time after he sent me the letter.
I remember Dave too! He was so fill of life...ideas...motivation... creativity....leadership....and trend-setting ideas! I loved singing with him in choir. He was one of the best tenors in Heritage Singers. I always considered it a privilege to sing alongside with him.
One funny memory I have of Dave was during a week-long (perhaps 2 week) SMS choir tour we took on the road. One morning after a concert, we all met for an early breakfast before taking off to our next location. Dave hugged me and said goodmorning! I remember reacting and jokingly telling him he had bad breath. I asked him if he'd brushed his teeth!!! We both laughed out loud, and he proceeded telling me that even though he bushed his teeth everyday, he still had bad breath afterwards.
Well then, I gave him some great instruction...which he followed to a tee! I told him to not only brush his teeth, but also brush his tongue, his gums and the roof of his mouth...and that would take care of the bad breath.
Dave did this...and the following morning...and many mornings after, his breath was always clean and fresh. We'd often laugh about it between the two of us. It was our little secret! :o)
I do want to mention one last thing about Dave. This is a something I rarely discussed in school. Being African-American...one of 8 or perhaps 10 African-American students in our graduating class of around 800...there were times I experienced racist attitudes from a few classmates (not all...just a few.) I never said anything about it...I just ignored it and continue enjoying life. But this was a daily reality I had to deal with that existed in the under currents of my social life at school.
Dave...even though he was quite popular at school and very much in the public eye...never ever displayed a superior attitude towards me. NEVER! Even if there were around people who felt they were better than I (for whatever reason!?!) Dave ALWAYS and OPENLY embraced me and treated me as his friend and his equal. I will always have deep respect and love for his integrity of heart.
Dave...I look forward to seeing you again in Heaven at God's great throne of grace. I look forward to receiving a big hug from you...and I trust you will not have bad breath! I love you,brother....see you soon!
With our 40th reunion approaching and looking through classmates profiles I felt compelled to write something in memory of David. David was my first boyfriend in the sixth grade. I remember Mindy Epstein coming up to me in the library, I knew what she was going to ask me as I I heard a rumor that he wanted to go out with me, and I said yes. We dated for only one week( typical for that age at the time) but remember walking home from school house and my grandfather running into us on 95th and Lamar. I remember going up to my room and I sitting on the bed and talking After that my mother said if you want him to come over you have to stay downstairs. Like we were going to do anything. I mean really it was like 1970 David and I went all the way from grade school through high school together. He was one of the sweetest guys I ever knew. At the 10th reunion first time I saw him, first thing he said from across the room was, there’s my first girlfriend. I don’t know exactly when I found out of his passing but it still makes me sad this day. He was a very special guy
Lillian Davis (Bittman)
Dave and I met in sixth grade when I moved to Overland Park. I played Aunt Polly to his Tom Sawyer in the sixth-grade play. That started years of teasing between us, but then in ninth grade my dad died. Dave shocked me when he not only came to the funeral, but he came up to me afterwards and gave me a hug and talked with me. I don't think he ever knew what a soft spot he held in my heart after that. I just wish I had known he was sick, so I could have returned that hug and given him the same comfort he gave me so long ago. His death still makes me very sad. For me, our graduating class is incomplete without him.Gretchen Thomas (McIntyre)
Lillian, your story showed what a great guy Dave was. I remember his smile and style. You are correct, it is a shame he is not here. His absence will be missed at the reunion.Darby Moran (Lohrding)
Oh Dave, I remember our theatre class together in High School, what fun we had! I also remember you helping me pick out a pair of jeans when you worked at the "Bannana" (????) at Oak Park Mall. Happy Trails my friend! ~DarbySteve Anderson
Dave was my next door neighbor growing up and we had a lot of laughs through the years with his older sister Debbie, folks, and younger sis Dana.Learned of his passing years ago with a chance meeting with Dana.
Always a pal and good guy.
His entire family were always Aces to me and mine.
Lost track of him when he went to SMU.
RIP Dave,
Steve Anderson
Deanna McFadden (Hammer)
I have missed Dave since the moment I knew he was gone. His smile, his voice, and his drive to experience and be a passionate person who lived life to it's fullest!Beth Stooke (Cullinan)
I got to know Dave mostly through being officers together in StuCo; he has always held a very special place in my heart. There are two memories that I cherish. The first is a trip we four StuCo officers took to a leadership conference in San Antonio (Dave, Dana Tait, Barbie Baum, and me). I had never flown on a plane before. I was surprised (and bewildered) at the time that Dave was so excited that it was going to be my first flight. He made sure I got the window seat, then sat next to me to point out everything we would be able to see from ?-thousand feet in the air. We all had a lot of fun on the trip, and really enjoyed working together through the school year. I never imagined that I ran in the same social circles as Dave (whatever I perceived them to be), but he was always very kind, funny, and sweet to me, which meant a lot at the time, going through high school in my "plain Jane" world. He was kind of like a rock star, I thought. I look back now and wonder how much of his public persona was really who he was; I think there was a lot that Dave kept away from everyone, which makes me sad for him.My other fond memory of Dave is the summer after we graduated. I worked down in Versailles, MO every summer, at YMCA Camp Gravois (in the Ozarks). One day, out of the clear blue, I saw this great-looking, blond, tan guy ambling across the camp from the parking lot. He was wearing a dark green t-shirt and pale yellow shorts--absolutely gorgeous. He apparently was with his family and staying in the area; on a lark, he had decided to see if he could surprise me "at work". I was stunned, and he thought that was very funny. We spent the afternoon hanging out, touring the camp, talking and laughing. That visit meant the world to me, I think because it was so unexpected and very sweet. Strangely, after I hugged him goodbye that day, I didn't see him or talk to him again for 10 years. He went off to Texas and I went to Baker and that was that. (Life before email, texting, and Facebook).
We met up again at our 10th year reunion, when Dave was selling real estate in Nashville. It was great to see him then. He seemed like he was on top of the world and looked like a million bucks...again. We both acted like we were seeing long-lost family, which is funny when I look back on the level of friendship we had shared--we were good friends because we had worked together, but not extremely close. Still, it was wonderful to see him. It wasn't long after that when Gretchen Thomas called me to tell me he had passed. His death has haunted me ever since, and I wish I had known his family well enough to have talked to them then. I'll never know exactly why or how Dave Schmidt and I hit it off so well for such a small part of our lives, but I am grateful that our paths did cross. Those memories have truly shaped the way I look at the world. Thanks, Dave.
David Cain
A part of me died the day I heard Dave had gone. I always imagined that someone so full of life would live forever. We sang together. Dave could really sing.John Mathews
Dave and I met when we were in the 7th grade at Nallwood Junior High. We would play golf together in the summers.After college I lost contact with Dave as I moved to California. My late wife and I went to a bible study in our church in CA in which Dave's cousin and his wife were a part of and we got reconnected through them. After my wife passed away of cancer Dave sent the most incredible letter to me that was from his heart. He obviously was in touch with his own mortality and was able to express himself in a profound way. He passed away just a short amount of time after he sent me the letter.
Tamara (Tammy) Haskin
I remember Dave too!He was so fill of life...ideas...motivation...
creativity....leadership....and trend-setting ideas! I loved singing with him in choir. He was one of the best tenors in Heritage Singers. I always considered it a privilege to sing alongside with him.
One funny memory I have of Dave was during a week-long (perhaps 2 week) SMS choir tour we took on the road. One morning after a concert, we all met for an early breakfast before taking off to our next location. Dave hugged me and said goodmorning! I remember reacting and jokingly telling him he had bad breath. I asked him if he'd brushed his teeth!!! We both laughed out loud, and he proceeded telling me that even though he bushed his teeth everyday, he still had bad breath afterwards.
Well then, I gave him some great instruction...which he followed to a tee! I told him to not only brush his teeth, but also brush his tongue, his gums and the roof of his mouth...and that would take care of the bad breath.
Dave did this...and the following morning...and many mornings after, his breath was always clean and fresh. We'd often laugh about it between the two of us. It was our little secret! :o)
I do want to mention one last thing about Dave. This is a something I rarely discussed in school. Being African-American...one of 8 or perhaps 10 African-American students in our graduating class of around 800...there were times I experienced racist attitudes from a few classmates (not all...just a few.) I never said anything about it...I just ignored it and continue enjoying life. But this was a daily reality I had to deal with that existed in the under currents of my social life at school.
Dave...even though he was quite popular at school and very much in the public eye...never ever displayed a superior attitude towards me. NEVER! Even if there were around people who felt they were better than I (for whatever reason!?!) Dave ALWAYS and OPENLY embraced me and treated me as his friend and his equal. I will always have deep respect and love for his integrity of heart.
Dave...I look forward to seeing you again in Heaven at God's great throne of grace. I look forward to receiving a big hug from you...and I trust you will not have bad breath! I love you,brother....see you soon!
Tamara (Tammy) Haskin
Carla Cohen (Cohodes)
With our 40th reunion approaching and looking through classmates profiles I felt compelled to write something in memory of David. David was my first boyfriend in the sixth grade. I remember Mindy Epstein coming up to me in the library, I knew what she was going to ask me as I I heard a rumor that he wanted to go out with me, and I said yes. We dated for only one week( typical for that age at the time) but remember walking home from school house and my grandfather running into us on 95th and Lamar. I remember going up to my room and I sitting on the bed and talking After that my mother said if you want him to come over you have to stay downstairs. Like we were going to do anything. I mean really it was like 1970 David and I went all the way from grade school through high school together. He was one of the sweetest guys I ever knew. At the 10th reunion first time I saw him, first thing he said from across the room was, there’s my first girlfriend. I don’t know exactly when I found out of his passing but it still makes me sad this day. He was a very special guy