Dave was four years older than me.  As a result, as youngsters we did not have much in common. He had his friends and activities and I had mine. Still I remember the Christmas I received my first wrist watch--a Timex. Dave gave it to me. Another year it was a baseball glove. He loved  me in his way.

As we got older, we became closer. Following football season of my senior year in high school, Dave invited me and my high school buddies  to Rutgers for a college football game. I don't remember who played, but I remember the beer flowing in the Kappa Sigman fraternity house. Coincidentally Dad showed up  at the house. He too was a Rutgers man, but also a tea totaller. Dave hid my underage buddies and me when Dad came by the fraternity for a visit. That's brotherly love!

When Dave married Ola, he invited me to be his best man.   Later he was my best man. After my graduation from college, Dave invited me to come visit in Wheaton, IL. He had tickets to see Louis Armstrong perform. What a night listening to Old Satchmo. Again this was David.

When Laura and I moved to Baltimore, Dave and family were living  in Newark, DE, an hour's drive away. While I was "rough housing" with Steve, Sue and Chris in their yard, Dave was preparing steaks on the grill,  corn on the cob, and yes, a goodly amount of beer to quench our thirsts. A feast for a graduate school guy.

Over the years we lived apart. He was in Arizona while  Laura and I lived in Florida.  We brothers though were bonded. He came east for my 80th birthday (as well as many more times), and I flew to see him on his 90th. That was the last time I saw him with covid and the rest. We zoomed with family--including our two wonderful sisters and their families--and that was sort of an adequate substitute.

Over the years we talked a lot about family, travel, politics, and more. He used to be a Republican until the party went off the rails. I of course was a Democrat, but we always  got along. And we were not afraid to  hug when we met and say, "I love you, Dave".

I will miss him--already do.

Jim Crooks, 8/28/23